Dragons Gift
by D-Chan3
Summary: Usual disclaimers applyAkane gets kidnapped and by someone who wants to kill her! The Tendo's are frantic and send Ranma out to find her. Will he be able to save her in time or will this be the end for her?
1. Default Chapter

DRAGONS GIFT By D-Chan  
  
  
  
Prologue:  
  
---Lightning flashed---  
  
A figure ran through the forest glancing over her shoulder to check for her pursuers, but the fierce clap of thunder covered all sounds of her captors. She stumbled on a rock, righted herself and winced suddenly as shooting pains ran up her leg. Ignoring the pain, she slowly placed her full weight on the injured limb, the scream that emerged from her chest was quickly stifled by her hand over her mouth. "Shit! I need to get away and this will only make it slower. I've got to keep moving!" she thought, slowly placing one foot in front on another. The wind picked up suddenly and she shivered as the cold penetrated her wet clothes. It had been raining for over an hour and fall had come early this year. Rubbing her arms, she tried to retain some warmth as she pushed continued her stumbling trek in search of shelter.  
  
A snap of a twig in the distance alerted her to the nearing danger. Quickly, she glanced around searching for the source, spotting movement from the corner of her eye, she panicked, "No! I've got to get away! I can't let them catch me again!" Turning her attention towards the trail, she pushed herself to run harder.  
  
Lightning flashed, illuminating the forest for an instant.  
  
"There!" A dark opening in the ground was revealed to her searching eyes before quickly disappearing. Picking up the pace she pushed herself to go faster, desperately trying to reach the safety of the cave before they found her.  
  
Suddenly, a flash of light lit the sky, burning her optic nerves until she couldn't see the forest in front of her. A crack of thunder soon followed after, flinching, the girl paused in her flight to get her bearings as another flash of lightning light the sky. Blind to the danger from above, she cocked her head at the sudden snap of a tree branch breaking, blinking frantically to clear her vision, she glanced up and her eyes widened in panic. The girl had no time to scream before the branch struck her temple, knocking her unconscious.  
  
  
  
As the storm raged on, the figure lay on the ground oblivious to the danger. A purple haired girl paused sixteen yards from her prey, searching the forest, "Where are you..you must die! Then, husband is mine forever!" Shan-Pu thought as she remembered the events of two days ago when they had kidnapped the girl from her bed. They had taken her to this spot under the cover of darkness. They knew that if anyone discovered their treachery, they would die along side the girl. Two more Amazons stepped out of the darkness and paused, scanning the ground for any sign of their quarry. The girl had managed to get away from them by feigning unconsciousness while working on her bonds. When they had left her for a brief time, she had made good her escape.  
  
"This forest very scary. Great-grandmother say that it is forbidden to enter and Shan-Pu think she right. Stupid husband stealer, Shan-Pu better find soon," the purpled hared Amazon exclaimed as she moved off into the darkness in search of her prey.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Suddenly, the mouth of the cave began to glow with an eerie light. A whisper of scales against stone echoed softly over the rumble of thunder. A claw emerged from the mouth of the cave as it was illuminated by a burst of lightning, then darkness filled the night sky, thunder rumbled and two red eyes glowed in the darkness. Lightning flashed once more and revealed a massive scaled head before darkness crept in once more. The newcomer noticed the girl lying there on the ground and also noticed the bloodied tree branch lying next to her. The branch had apparently felled her. The newcomer rumbled a sigh but thunder and the howling wind masked it.  
  
The girl shivered violently as she tried to regain the lost warmth that her wet clothes tore from her body. The shadow bent down close the to prone girl, inspecting the head wound before its head snapped around at the sound of a twig snapping in the distance. Lightning flashed, illuminating the forest and revealing a strange woman standing in the spot where there was once a scaly monster. Quickly, the old woman bend down and with amazing strength picked up the girl and shouldered her burden. Turning, she inspected the area once more before disappearing with the last flash of lightning, leaving no trace of what was once there except a small indentation in the ground of where a body once lay.  
  
***********************************************************  
  
A crackling fire illuminated the figure of an old woman and her patient. The girl Xanixi had found was raging with fever and had been like this for a week now. Each passing day the girl grew worse and as her lungs filled with fluid, her breathing became more labored. "The storm hasn't done this child any good," the bell-like sounds of the old woman's speech echoed softly in the cave. Reaching out and covering the girls' brow with her hand, she tried to determine if the child needed another cold cloth to bring down the fever. Wincing, Xanixi withdrew her hand, quickly she soaked a cloth in the nearby stream. Suddenly the girl started tossing in the midst of her delirium, her breath rattling in her lungs; she struggled for each inhalation of breath.  
  
"Damn!" Xanixi cursed as she dipped the in a bowl of cold water. Moving closer to her charge, she reached out to place in on her forehead when the girl suddenly stopped breathing. Quickly, placing one on her chest and another on her brow, Xanixi began chanting an ancient healing spell in a desperate move to save the girls life. The old woman had no idea what this particular spell would do to a human, but if it worked she'd be grateful at the chance to atone for any wrong doings of her past. As the magic worked its way into the girls system, a glow started pulsating, originating at her chest and spreading to cover her whole body.  
  
Suddenly, something in the spell twisted, Xanixi gasped at the sensation but quickly grasped at the slipping strands of magic and molded them to her will. The old warrior completed her chant and the glow faded. Blinking to clear her sight, Xanixi checked the girls breathing and her temperature, then smiled, "Good, you will survive. The fever is gone and you are able to draw breath normally." Slowly, the old woman reached out to brushed the hair away from the girls' face and froze in shock as the human's hair started growing at an alarming rate. Xanixi quickly searched for any other physical changes and gasped, "Oh by the ancients above! How in the seven worlds did this happen!" Her magic and apparently done something completely unexpected. Somehow the spell had warped and the girls' ears had changed..  
  
************************************************************* 


	2. She's Gone!

Chapter 1  
Nerima

>   
"Hey Tomboy! It's time to get up!" Ranma yelled while pounding on her door. When he received no reply, he opened Akane's door cautiously and yelled through the crack," Hurry up or we'll be late for school!" Silence was his only reply. Ranma listened carefully for the sound of Akane's even breathing, he knew that if he even attempted to enter the room, she would punt him through the roof like she did two weeks ago. When he didn't hear any sound of movement or breathing, Ranma opened the door and gasped. Turning around, He took a deep breath and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Mr. Tendo, Kasumi, Nabiki, Pop!...Come quick!"
> 
> The family was up the stars like a streak of lightning. They arrived at Akane's room within seconds of Ranma's frantic call. Soun pushed his way into his daughters' room and screamed at the top of his lungs, "AKANEEEEEEE!"
> 
> "Hey! I can't see," Nabiki grumbled, pushing her way past Genma's considerable bulk. Once she caught site of her sisters room, she gasped in shock, "Oh my god!"
> 
> Kasumi stepped into the room and took in the scene and whispered shakily, "Oh my!" The once immaculate room was in shambles. Akane's desk had been overturned, there was blood splattered on the walls and the bedsheets were a mess. Even to Kasumi's untrained eyes, it looked like a struggle had taken place.
> 
>   
Genma turned towards his son and cried, "Boy! Akane is your fiancee. It is up to you to rescue her!" Folding his arms across his chest, Genma composed his face into a stone mask and continued, "I don't like the looks of this...who ever took Akane meant business. It could be very dangerous so you better be careful or it just might get you killed."
> 
> Ranma scowled at his fathers words, but he nodded his head and replied, "Fine! But, I need to pack some stuff first before I go."
> 
> As Ranma turned to leave Akane's room, Soun grabbed him by the shoulders, screaming at the top of his lungs while his demon head attack floated above the pigtailed boy, "RANMA! FIND MY BABY OR DON'T BOTHER COMING BACK!"
> 
> "Ah! The pigtailed boy screamed in surprise before slowly backing away. "Man, why do I always gotta be the one ta go after her!" he grumbled quietly to himself as he backed out of the room. "I can't believe they won't let me come home until I find her! But,....I understand how they feel. I'm just worried that I won't find her in time." Growling, Ranma clenched his fists and vowed, "I will find you, Akane! And when I do, whoever kidnapped you will pay!"
> 
>   
"Akane!" Ranma screamed her name as he ran through the streets of Nerima. Taking a deep breath, Ranma jumped off of the fence and ran towards the park yelling, "Akane...where are you...answer me!" Receiving no reply, he paused, placing his hands on his knees, he gasped for breath, "I've searched all of our usual hideouts and checked with Ukyo." Standing, Ranma continued running. "Man, I'm glad Ukyo told me that she hasn't seen Akane since yesterday afternoon," he muttered as he rounded the corner to the street where the Nekohanten was located. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks as he took in the site of boarded up windows and a sign that read, "Moved back to China". Ranma growled, now he had some idea of who was responsible for Akane's disappearance."Those stinking dirty rotten AMAZONS!" Ranma panted for breath wile struggling to control his rage. "When I catch you, you'll wish you were already dead!" Quickly, he jumped up on the roof and busted though the emergency door. Making his way down the stars he thought, "I need to find some kind of clue as to where they went." 
> 
> After an hour of searching, Ranma was ready to give up when suddenly he accidentally tipped over a vase and sent it crashing to the floor and shattering into a milling fragments."Crap!" He stared down at the mess when suddenly he noticed a piece of paper from the corner of his eye. Turning, Ranma unfolded it and began reading out loud.
> 
> Honored Elder Ku-Lon,
> 
> We regret to inform you that due to Shan-Pu's and your failure to capture the Saotome boy and get rid of all possible rivals. We the council, have decided to banish you from the tribe. However, there is one possible loophole to this decision. You must kill the Tendo girl in one of our sacred rituals. Bring her back to China by way of the forbidden valley to the east of the cursed pools. We await your arrival in one weeks time.
> 
> Yours,
> 
> Po-shon.
> 
>   
As Ranma finished reading the letter, his breathing sped up and he screamed, "Kill Akane!...Not while I'm Alive!" Turning, Ranma dashed out of the restaurant at top speed. His destination now clear, the pigtailed boy headed for the docks to catch the next boat to China. "Hang on Akane....I'm coming!"
> 
> ************************************


	3. Make Him Stop!

Chapter 2: Tendo Doujou

Seven hours after the discovery that Akane was missing, the sun was now setting over the quiet neighborhood of Nerima. Suddenly, a yell broke the silence, "That's it! I can't bear it anymore!" came the cry from the middle Tendo. Dashing through the house with a wild look in her eyes, Nabiki covered her ears with her hands to block out the awful noise of her fathers crying. She cringed as she passed the living room where her father currently sat,wailing.

"AAAAKAAANEEEEE! MY BABY!!!!" Soun cried as he sat in the living room while Genma tried to console him. Soun had been crying non stop for over five hours now and showed no signs of stopping. 

Nabiki finally had had enough, reaching her older sisters side, she begged, "Please...sis.....please let me get it and put us out of our misery."

Kasumi frowned while replying, "Now, Nabiki. You know that's not nice."

Practically in tears herself due to the throbbing headache pounding in her skull from her fathers crying, Nabiki was desperate; kneeling, she grasped Kasumi's apron and cried, "I'll give you anything! Just _let_ me_ make__ him_ stop!....I....I can't take it anymore!" 

Placing a hand to her forehead, Kasumi massaged her temples as little stabs of pain raced through her brain. Secretly she agreed with Nabiki; chancing a glance towards her father, she winced at the site before her. The living room floor was covered by two inches of water that thankfully, was making its way outside by way of a channel created from all of the towels in the house. "Oh....my," Kasumi murmured, wincing at the damage to her newly acquired wooden floors. "I suppose it might be a good idea to get father to calm down...." 

"YES!" Nabiki yelled, jumping to her feet, she planted a kiss on Kasumi's cheek before running out of the room to get her secret weapon.

Kasumi smiled as she envisioned the impending silence while eyeing the stairway in anticipation. Turing so she caught Genma's eye, she whispered, "Psst....Mr. Saotome!" she lifted her hands up and gestured for him to back away. 

"Mmmm?" Genma replied as he glanced towards her. Recognizing the gesture, his eyes widened to the size of oranges. Not one to argue with Kasumi, he quickly scooted out of the way. Fortunately, it was just in time as a whistling sound filled the air followed by a soft thudding noise as the dart met human flesh. 

Pausing in mid wail, Soun's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the sudden stinging sensation in his backside. he squeaked before slumping to the floor, unconscious. 

"Mmmm?" Genma replied as he glanced towards her. Recognizing the gesture, his eyes widened to the size of oranges as he quickly scooted out of the way just as a whistling sound filled the air followed by a thudding and a grunting noise. Two minutes later, Soun slumped the ground, unconscious. "God! I thought he'd never stop!" Genma complained, holding his aching head while leaning against a wall for support. He had never realized how much his friend could loose all control when a loved one went missing or died.

"Thank god he did....I don't think even_ I_ could take it anymore. Although, when mother died...he was much worse," Kasumi replied as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yea, with Akane missing...there's no telling when daddy will stop," Nabiki said as she entered the room with something hidden behind her back. Bouncing across the room she revealed her weapon to the Saotome patriarch and replied, " I'm glad you taught me how to use a blow gun, Kasumi...and those tranquilizer darts from Dr. Tofu's sure do come in handy!" 

Genma's jaw dropped in shock as he glanced from the blowgun in Nabiki's hands towards the dart currently residing in Soun's backside. Shuddering in fear, Genma realized that the two before him had many hidden talents that had yet to reveal themselves. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his thoughts to speak but was interrupted when Kasumi spoke instead.

Blushing at the complement, Kasumi said, "Mr. Saotome...please close your mouth or you'll catch flies." and smiled as his jaw closed with a loud clacking sound. "Would you kindly put father to bed? I have to start cleaning up this mess," she said, pointing towards the mess on the floor. "Nabiki?"

"Yes?" she replied.

"Would you please call the carpenter and have him install a new floor tomorrow...maybe one with water proof sealant on it?" Kasumi said thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her chin. 

Ginning from ear to ear, Nabiki chirped, "Sure! And while I'm at it...I can get him to fix the dojou that the Kuno's wrecked last week."

"We don't have enough money for that," Kasumi said, eyes widening slightly at the thought of how much it would cost.

"Don't worry. I got the Kuno's to pay for the damages," Nabiki ginned, slyly. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out one hundred thousand yen and waved it in the air. "And the best part is....We would have been able to afford to go on that Hawaiian vacation with the left overs. But," Nabiki bowed her head in grief, "now that Akane's missing, I'll have to wire the money to Ranma when he needs it."

A tear gathered in Kasumi's eye and she braced herself from shedding it and whispered, "Don't worry. Ranma will find her" Turning away, Kasumi walked back into the kitchen to gather her cleaning supplies and said too quietly for Nabiki and Genma to hear, "......he has to."

*************************************************

China:

  
Deep within a valley shrouded by the mists of time, a lone figure stood atop a rock slowly going through an intricate kata. The figure's hair hung past her waist in a blue-black tumble. Sharply pointed ears listened for any trace of sound that would signal an oncoming attack. Muscles rippling with hidden strength as the figure ducked and wove to avoid her imaginary opponent. The girl focused all of her attention on her opponent while strategies ran thought her mind.

Suddenly, the figure stiffened, sensing an oncoming attack, shifting her balance, she managed to block the death strike aimed for her nose and retaliated with a direct chop to the throat, only to pause before the blow could be fatal. As the match ended she heard a murmur of approval from her Sensei, "Very good my daughter, you may open your eyes now. This time I will teach you a new kata. It is one that uses the elements and combines them with one's ki." 

Thank you, mother. I will master this technique as well. I am very honored that you have taken me as your student," the girl bowed out of respect for her master and remained there until she was released.

  
"You may get up, daughter. I think we have done enough for today Xanixi turned to leave but was halted by the sound of her adopted daughter's voice. 

Yes my daughter? she replied turning, she faced the girl once more. 

Can you tell me about how you came to find me in the forest? tilting her head to the side, her hair rippled in the wind. The girl jumped down from the rock and made her way towards the old woman. 

I'm sorry my daughter but...all I know is that I found you lying injured on the forest floor. I know that you are being hunted." Xanixi gave her adopted daughter a warning glare and continued," You are in grave danger should you venture out of this valley. And that is why I'm training you." She sighed, suddenly weary of the days events.

Biting her lip nervously, the girl decided on a change of subject. Moving closer she murmured quietly, Have you thought up a name for me yet? 

Yes. I will call you, Storm. Smiling gently at her charge, the old woman raised a finger to make her point and continued, Only because I found you in the middle of one. That will have to do until you remember who you truly are. Now, lets forget about this and hunt for our supper," she replied.

All right. How about we have venison today? Storm said, rubbing her stomach in anticipation. 

That sounds like a good idea. However, I think you should practice your archery skills. Otherwise, you will never learn to fend for yourself when I'm away on business, Xanixi replied warmly.

Fine, but let me get my bow, Storm muttered good naturally as she swiftly ran to the edge of the trees to grab them off of a low branch. Once back in her possession, she quickly made her way towards her teacher. Ok, now we can go.

  
Good. Now stand back so I can change. We will have to go many miles today to find a heard big enough to feed both of us, Xanixi said, moving back a short distance herself to allow herself enough room. Suddenly, her form began to shimmer like heat waves off of asphalt and then with a bright flash of light the change was complete.

Storm grinned as she watched her sensei unfurl her massive wings. I'll never get tired watching mother change, Storm whispered quietly to herself . I could sit and watch her transform a million times and never loose my fascination with it. Furrowing her brow in thought, Storm reasoned, I mean, mother can be beautiful and menacing to behold at the same time. Smiling, Storm thought, The beauty comes from the site of watching such a huge animal move about with grace. But, the menacing aspect comes from that time when I had been out hunting and encountered that basilisk. Mother came to my rescue and she quickly dealt with it by charring it into so many ashesonly after an intense and violent battle. Returning from her musings, Storm glanced towards her mother and laughed, Hahahahaha! Mother, are you ready to go now?

Yes. Now come on and hop on my back, came the rumbling reply as the large scarlet dragon crouched lower to the ground. 

  
Do you think we can go look at the human settlements outside of the valley? We don't have to land.could we just fly close enough to see them?" Storm asked as she quickly made her way over. Grasping one massive wing in her hand and bracing herself, she climbed on. 

I really don't think that is such a good idea, Xanixi said hesitantly.

Please, Mother? Storm pleaded.

  
We shall see.but, I wont guarantee it, she replied quickly and with a hint of reproach in her voice. Now hang on! Bunching her muscles, she leapt into the air, beating her wings and rising into the sky. Within one moment and the next both the girl and the dragon were gone.  


  
**********************************************


	4. Find her!

Chapter 3

  
You have failed me child! You have dishonored our tribe! Ku-lon admonished her charge with a withering glare.

Bowing her head in shame, the purple hared Amazon nodded and replied, Yes great-grandmother. Shan-Pu sorry..Kitchen destroyer fooled Shan-Pu and then when Shan-Pu's back was turned, she ran. A murderous expression replaced her shamed face as she continued, Shan-Pu will get violent girl back and then I KILL!

Ku-Lon smiled evilly at her great granddaughter's enthusiasm for the hunt. Growling, she hopped closer, jumped off her walking stick and then pointed it directly towards the purple Amazon's nose, You had better find her and kill her quickly..or you will be the one to die! OUR LAWS AND THE COUNCIL! she spat veminently, STATE THAT IF YOU FAIL FOR THE THIRD TIME IT WILL MEAN YOUR DEATH! 

Shan-Pu paled at that statement and thought, _I have never heard of that lawmaybe it's one of the one's that I missed learning when I tuned great grandmother out during one of her lectures._ Gulping in fear, Shan-Pu nodded frantically and asked out loud in mandarin, Great Grandmother, when do you want me to start looking?

You will start looking as soon as the rest of our sisters get here, Ku-Lon glanced skywards at the sun to determine the time. It's almost noon now, they should be here soon. When you find the girl you will have to She started to say but was interrupted by a rustling noise from the bushes. 

Turning, the elder glanced towards the noise and spotted several of her Amazon sisters. Smiling, Ku-Lon greeted them, Welcome! You're just in time. But, I'm sorry to say that I have some bad news.

  
A tall green hared girl stepped forward and asked, What is this bad news you speak of elder?

Recognizing the girl as Mou-sei, Ku-Lon replied, Unfortunately, during the night, the Tendo girl escaped so we will have to hunt for her and bring her back to the village. Also, I fear that she may have stumbled upon the forbidden valley.

A blue hared girl dressed in loose yellow Chinese pants and a green silk shirt gasped in shock, We cannot enterthe pact that was made over five thousand years ago is still upheld! If we are discovered entering...then we will surely be killed!

The leader of the group turned around and growled at the protester, Silence, Cho-mei! We will do as the Council and Elder demand!

But Mou-sei the girl whined but was silenced by a withering glare from the leader. 

Please continue elder, Mou-sei murmured while bowing respectfully.

Nodding, Ku-Lon continued, I want you and Cho-mei to search the northern quadrant, she paused for breath and then pointed towards her great granddaughter and an orange hared Amazon, while Xian-Pu and Mu-ti will search the eastern quadrant. Turning around, she faced the rest of the six warriors and said, I want you to split into two groups. Su-Tan, you will take the northern quadrant and Lu-fa you will take the southern quadrant. I want a report by sundown. We will have to hurry since son-in-law probably has figured it out by now that we are responsible for the Tendo girl's disappearance..Now go!

"Yes Elder," Mou-sei replied. Then, pivoting on her heal, she motioned with her right arm and yelled, "Lets move! You heard the elder! We have until sundown to find the target or we will have to enter the valley!

As one, the group of warriors nodded and spread out into the forest, each hoping that they wouldn't have to enter the valley but somehow deep in their hearts, they knew that it was inevitable. Standing alone in the clearing, Ku-Lon watched as her great granddaughter disappeared into the forest and whispered, "Find that girl Shan-Pu or I will be forced to kill you." Turning away from the sight of the disappearing hunting party she sighed quietly, "I really don't want to be force to kill you like I was with your mother."

***********************************************************

The ship rocked up and down on the turbulent sea causing immense discomfort for everyone except one stowaway hidden deep within the bowls of the engine room. Two days ago they had run afoul of bad weather and now were in the middle of a violent storm riddled with thunder and lightning that was accompanied by fifty mile an hour winds which tossed the ship like a cork in the water. Over the past four days there had been reports of food gone missing and the Captain had suspected that they had an unwanted visitor. He had ordered the ship to be searched but had found nothing.

"Hey Captain!" the stocky navigator yelled as he clutched his stomach.

"What is it, Sho-su?" the Captain asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"I'm gonna be sick....ulp," he covered his mouth with one hand and quickly dashed out the door. On his way out the Captain vaguely heard his last comment as he disappeared down the hall, "check our position....I think we're close to land!"

Sighing, the Captain shook his head and muttered, "I knew I should have hired an experienced sailor. These newbies can't hold it in...," he then thought back to when the storm had first started. At first he had thought nothing of it. Now, he wasn't sure that he had made a wise decision. "Hmmm, lets see," he muttered while checking their coordinates. "Ah, this is good news!" he exclaimed as he realized that they were very close to mainland China and probably reach landfall in two hours. 

Deep within the darkness of the engine room, hidden inside a vent, Ranma slept away his exhaustion and dreamed of his fiancée and murmured," Akane...". before turning to find a more comfortable position and then settling into a deeper sleep than before. 

*****************************************************

The next day.

He trudged through the muddy streets of a crowded marketplace as vendors hocked their wares with loud cries in mandarin. Three times he had stopped to inspect a backpack, purchase some rope and supplies for the journey before turning and heading out of the populated areas towards Jusenkyo. Scowling, the pigtailed boy clenched his fists with determination and muttered, "Good thing I got some supplies....I just hope they'll last until I find her." 

Pausing, he reached inside his pack and pulled out a map of the surrounding mountains. Quickly, Ranma determined his position and the safest route to travel while avoiding the cursed springs altogether. He knew that it would take him a good two weeks to reach the valley of Jusenkyo, shouldering his pack once more, Ranma sighed before taking the first step to begin his journey while muttering, "Hang in there, Akane. I'll rescue you and then....those stinkin' Amazons will be sorry they ever messed with us!"

During the first week of his journey, Ranma thought of the many ways he could torture Ku-Lon and Shan-Pu when he got his hands on them. His favorite out of all of them was to hang them by their toenails over a pit of alligators. During the second and final leg of his journey, the pigtailed boy's opinion changed. He now favored just slaughtering the entire tribe of Amazons when he got there. Nodding his head, Ranma muttered, "Yeah, killing the whole damn lot of them is the best thing! I don't care what they say....no amount of begging for mercy will change my mind....I'm gonna kill them for touching Akane! 

**********************************************

After two weeks of traveling, Ranma could finally see the mists that surrounded the valley of Jusenkyo. "All right! I made it. Now I've got to find a way around." Dropping his pack, he routed through the contents until he came upon the letter that he had found in the Nekkohanten. Quickly, he read through it to determine the best route and smiled in sadistic pleasure while muttering, "Now I get to snap some Amazon necks when I catch up to them!" 

Glancing skyward, Ranma determined the time by the position of the sun. "Man, it must be noon. I better hurry and eat while I'm travelin'." Picking up his pack with a groan, Ranma walked deeper into the mountains. Skirting the cursed springs, he headed towards a heavily forested area at the base of one of the tallest mountains that he'd ever seen. After four hours of travel, he stiffened when a high pitched scream echoed through the late afternoon air.

"Wha...?" he blinked in confusion. Glancing around himself, Ranma tried to determine the position that it had come from but all he could see were trees. "That voice...it sounds like Akane!" Straitening his ears, he tried to listen for it again but the only sound that could be heard were the pounding of feet and rustling of underbrush before a blur ran past him, heading straight towards the rock wall without stopping.

Quickly, he sprang into action, by racing after the blur and then jumping in front of it while yelling, "Hey! Stop or you're gonna hurt yourself!" 

The figure windmilled its arms in an attempt to stop their forward momentum but it wasn't enough. Within the space of a second Ranma and the stranger slammed into each other and toppled to the ground, knocking the breath from their lungs. Groaning, Ranma slowly got to his feet, glanced towards the stranger gasped, "Your a girl!"

At the sound of Ranma's gasp, the black hared girl's gaze met Ranma's. It was then, that the pigtailed boy got a good look at the girl. Running his blue-grey gaze over her features, he muttered, "Hey...you look just like Akane but your eyes...their different." Turning his attention towards the rest of her features, it was then that he noticed the one glaring difference between Akane and this girl. Where Akane had round ears, this girl's ears were slender and pointed at the tips. His jaw dropped in shock, before he slowly whispered, "You're not human....w....what are you.....? And who are you?"

The girl opened her mouth to reply, "I...," but was interrupted by a loud snap of a twig and the sound of angry female voices yelling in mandarin. Gasping in fear, the girl jumped to her feet and dashed towards the rock face once more. Ranma winced and yelled, "Wait! What's your name!"

The girl paused briefly just inches from the wall, glanced over her shoulder and whispered, "I'm Storm. Follow me if you don't want to get captured," before stepping through the seemingly solid rock wall.

"Holy shit!" Ranma gasped in shocked surprise at the site of her disappearing through a rock wall. "How the hell did she do that!" he muttered, eyes wide as basketballs. His surprised musings were interrupted by the sound of nearing foot steps. "I don't want to stick around when they get here. I bet that who ever is making that racket was after her." He remembered her features and muttered, "Boy, she sure does look like Akane. Maybe she might be able to help me find her." A shout echoed through the forest, closer this time. Glancing back towards the noise, he jumped to his feet and followed after Storm. Two minutes later, a party of sixteen Amazon warriors entered the deserted clearing and found nothing but wind and flowers.

********************************************

Authors note: "Well how'd you like this chapter. And just who is this girl that Ranma bumped into? Why are the Amazons after her and not Akane?"...................Review and tell me what you think and if I should continue with this story. I need at least twenty reviews to continue!


	5. Possible Prey, Found!

Chapter 4: 

  
As Storm trudged through the forest, she was well aware of the boy that followed. Why does he feel familiar to me? she wondered as she glanced towards him once more. 

  
Sensing her gaze upon him, Ranma looked up, he muttered as he glanced in her direction, but before he could meet her gaze, she quickly faced forward once more with a frown. 

  
Those eyes.and that voicethey have haunted my dreams since I awoke with no memories of my past. Is that why I asked him to follow me? Sighing, Storm picked up the pace as she remembered how the hunting party had found her.

**Flashback**

  
Yes child, what is it? Xanixi replied, swinging her long neck around to glance towards her adopted daughter.  
I think I see some deer in the valley below. Can you land so that I may hunt? Storm said as she leaned forward to eye the ground below them.

  
Sighing, the scarlet dragon rolled her eyes and suggested, Why don't I fly bye the tallest trees so that you can use that new technique I taught you?

  
Storms turned her attention back towards her mother and replied excitedly, You mean I can do it while we're in the air?

  
Yes. It's the only way you will be able to perfect it..besides, you've gotten enough practice jumping from the tree branches back home, Xanixi replied, chuckling. 

All right! Let's do it! Storm yelled as she pumped her fist into the air.

  
Nodding, Xanixi banked to the right before hovering for a few moments as she selected the target. Then, without warning, she folded her massive wings and dove at tremendous speeds towards the unforgiving ground. Thirty feet from hitting the ground, Storm strapped on her bow and arrows, tucked her feet beneath herself and then dove off her mothers back, accelerating at a frightening pace towards the trees. Just before impact, she contorted her body into a flip and landed catlike on the top most branch in a crouch while bracing herself with her hands between her wide spread knees.

  
Glancing upwards, Storm watched as her adoptive mother pulled herself out of her nosedive and into the air once more. Ginning like a Cheshire cat, Storm waved and shouted, Bye mother! Have a good hunt and I'll meet you back home! with those last words on her lips, Storm flipped off the branch and landed on the soft forest floor. Sniffing the air, Storm tried to determine the direction of her prey. Due to the magic on the warped healing spell, Storms ears and eyes were not the only thing that had changed. 

There!" Storm turned towards the scent. "Over to the right is a faint scent of deermust be about two hours old. Good enough! Storm thought. Quickly, she broke into a light jog; carefully placing her feet on the forest floor so that not the slightest noise was heard. After two hours of travel, storm paused and glanced at her surroundings. On her left side, a stream that ran through two mountain peeks. On the right was a grassy clearing occupied by five grazing deer. Smiling, Storm crouched and began to stalk her prey. It took her a good twenty minutes to get close enough for her arrows to be effective. Eyes bright with the impending kill; Storm knocked an arrow, drew back the string and let it fly.

  
The arrow flew straight and true, producing a high pitched whistling sound that startled the deer enough to take flight. All escaped, but the one buck that storm had targeted. It fell to the ground, with a muffled thud. All right! I finally got my lunch storm eyed the large animal and muttered, and dinner too and not to mention tomorrow's meals as well. Storm sighed and muttered as she knelt by the animals side, pulled out her skinning knife and proceeded to prepare the animal to be eaten, I'm really getting tired of eating deer all the time, but like mother says, it will make me strong.

  
Finally finished, she grabbed several sticks and some dried grass and began to make a fire to cook the kill. Once the fire was good and ready, Storm cut off a chunk of meat, speared it with a sharpened stick and then set it over the blazing fire to cook. Storm yawned and let her thoughts drift while watching the clouds pass overhead. After ten minutes, the meat done, Storm removed it from the fire and ate it ravenously. Belly full, Storm leaned back against a boulder to rest. Slowly, her eyes grew heavy and in the dappled sunlight she felt warm and content enough to rest her eyes for a moment. Within the space of one heartbeat and the next, she fell asleep completely oblivious to the impending danger.

********************************************

  
Shan-Pu, Mou-sei, Cho-mei, Mu-ti, Su-Tan and Lu-fa had been searching the valley for over six hours and had found a few faint traces of where the Tendo girl could have disappeared. Just when they were about to give up and return to camp a large shadow flew overhead startling the hunting party and causing them to glance upwards. Eyes widening as large as oranges, Cho-mei gasped at the sight of a scarlet dragon hovering overhead and pointing she whispered, "Do you see that!"

Shan-Pu and the rest of the group glanced upwards to see what their companion was so scared about and saw the shape of a dragon outlined by sunlight. Shan-Pu was the first to reply in mandarin, "Yes, I see it but what is it doing outside the valley?"

"Maybe the game has finally run out or the pass might have been blocked by a rock slide so that the deer can't pass through," Su-Tan suggested while keeping a wary eye on the beast.

Squinting from the harsh glare of the sun, Mu-Ti spotted an odd shape on the dragons' back and nudged Mou-sei in the ribs, "Hey! There's something on its back!"

"I can't see it...what are you talking about?" Lu-Fa replied while shading her eyes with her forearm. When the dragon moved, she was able to make out what it was and exclaimed, "It's a girl! What is a girl doing riding on the red ancients back!"

"I don't know....but I'm going to find out!" Shan-Pu exclaimed, watching as the girl dove off of the dragon's back, somersaulted in mid air and then land like a cat in the trees. 

"Come on, lets follow her!" Mou-sei whispered, rising from her crouching position on the forest floor. Glancing over her shoulder she suggested, "Besides, this girl might be the one we're looking for!"

"Hnn, You might be right," Su-Tan replied as she adjusted her quiver of arrows on her back and then began following her long time friend. Shan-Pu and the rest of the girls followed close behind, each curious to see who this girl was. All knew that no human lived in the valley, so the girl might be the prey that they were looking for.

The Amazon hunting party watched their prey from a distance and were amazed at the catlike grace in which the girl stalked the deer; waiting for the girl to let down her guard just enough for them to get close enough to identify her. Their time came when the girl, tired from the hunt, fell asleep next to the fire after a full meal of venison. Stalking closer, Shan-Pu crept upon the unsuspecting girl until she was two yards away, from this distance she could make out her features, Shan-Pu gasped in shocked surprise, "It's the Tendo girl...It must be!" she thought taking a step closer. 

That single step was enough to alert her prey, the girl jumped up, glancing around wildly and sniffing the air. Catching the scent of the Amazons, her head snapped around in Shan-Pu's direction while her golden pupil-less eyes speared the purple hared Amazon in a penetrating gaze unlike anything the hunter had seen before. A bit unnerved by her gaze, she gasped, taking a step back in shock, Shan-Pu's eyes widened as she met the girl's unnerving stare, she began to doubt herself, "Am I wrong?....is she really, Akane?...NO!." Shan-Pu shook her head in denial, narrowing her eyes, she glared at the girl in front of her as her thought ran rampant, "..It's her....it just has to be because I won't fail!" Quickly, shaking off her surprise as her determination and anticipation of completing the hunt overruled what her eyes told her, Shan-Pu yelled, "It's her! Don't just stand there...GET HER!" 

Storms eyes widened in fear when she heard the human's yell, feeling like an animal cornered, Storm shrieked loudly; the pitch of the sound allowed it to travel for miles around, alerting her mother while at the same time incapacitating the humans for a brief time.

"Ahhh!" Shan-Pu yelled while lifting both hands to cover her ears, the noise was so great that it drove her and the rest of the hunting party to their knees in pain. 

Glancing once at the gutted and skinned deer, Storm sighed as she thought of what a waste this hunt had turned out to be."I must leave it or they'll surely catch me." Turning, she grabbed her bow and arrows and bolted into the forest.

  
"What the hell was that!" Cho-mei exclaimed as she climbed to her feet, wincing as the world seemingly spun around her. Apparently that noise had the ability to knock out one's sense of balance while causing immense pain at the same time.

"I don't know...but one thing I do know," Su-Tan replied while rubbing her ears. "I think we shouldn't give her a chance to do that again."

"I say it was the Tendo girl," Shan-Pu stated firmly while wincing from the pain. She now had a massive headache that was caused by the shrieking from that strange looking girl. "Let's follow her and bring her to great-grandmother so she can determine who this strange girl really is!"  
  
"All right!," the Amazons yelled, all anticipating an easy capture, they gave chase. Ducking and dodging fallen logs and tree branches, they finally caught up and strove to keep the elusive girl in their sights.

Glancing over her shoulder, Storm whispered, "They're after mebut why?....I must talk to mother. But, first I have to loose them in the forest." With those last words on her lips, Storm put on an extra burst of speed and took off, leaving the hunting party far behind and giving her enough time to disappear through the secret rock wall entrance to the valley. She was running so fast that she never expected to run in to into that boy. 

**End Flashback**

Storm was broken out of her musings by the loud voice on her traveling companion, "Hey! I asked you where we're going!"

Wincing at the sound, she rubbed her sensitive ears and replied, "I'm going to talk to mother....you can follow me if you want. Glaring at him from over her shoulder she growled, " Just don't talk so loud....IT HURTS MY EARS!" 

Jerking backwards at her sudden change in attitude, Ranma raised his arms in front of his chest in a gesture of surrender and replied, "Hey, I'm sorry. It's just....I've been trying to get your attention for the past twenty minutes and you were in la-la land.

"Sorry. I was just remembering how those Amazons had found me and were chasing me," Storm replied, turning around once more and heading deeper into the forest. "We should be coming upon my home soon."

"AMAZONS! THOSE WERE AMAZONS THAT WERE CHASING YOU!" Ranma screamed, his rage was so great that it broke the bounds of his control. Turning around, he started back towards the entrance of the valley, glancing over his shoulder, "I'm going back there and make them tell me where Akane is!"

He didn't get too far before he was knocked back on his ass by a powerful shove to his shoulder. "You will do no such thing! That was no ordinary group of girls!" his traveling companion yelled at him, hands fisted on her hips. Glancing upwards, Ranma could see how much this girl resembled his, Akane in her anger. So, he silently watched her while she continued to barrette him, "That was an Amazon hunting party who _I_ might add, were armed to the teeth with weapons that could kill in over two thousand ways. Besides, you're a man and if they find a man on their lands, they'll drag you back to their village bound and gagged!"

Something deep within the pigtailed boy's conscience told him that what he was seeking stood directly in front of him but that was so deeply buried and locked away that he totally ignored it. "No! I have to make them pay for what they've done! I will follow them!" Ranma screamed as he stood up, glaring at Storm.

Seeing that the boy was not going to listen to her, Storm decided to strike up a deal with him. "Fine! But on one condition...."

Curious, Ranma tilted his head and asked cautiously, "What is it?"

"You must defeat me first.....but I must warn you that I have been trained by a master versed in an forbidden art that is so old that it has been forgotten. If you fall, then you have lost." Raising one eyebrow inquiringly, Storm asked, "Do you agree?"

"Fine. Lets get this over with!" Ranma replied as he got into a defensive position meant to fool even the most experienced fighters and waited......and waited....and waited. When no attack occurred, he glanced towards his opponent and growled, "Well? Attack me!"

  
"As you wish," Storm replied while a glint of something appeared in her eyes; giving a hint that something was forthcoming, taking a deep breath, Storm let loose a subsonic screech meant to attack the nerve center of any animal and bring them down quickly.

One moment Ranma was standing and then the next thing he knew, his knees gave way and he was on the ground. Jaws gaping in shock, he yelled, "What the hell happened!"

"I used my disabling technique on you. It is designed to use sound to bring down your enemy," Storm replied as she extended a hand to help him up. "Here, take my hand since you will be a bit shaky as you try to stand. The sound effects the nerve center in your brain and causes a specific point to short circuit, thus causing you to fall."

"Wow! You have got to teach me to do that!" Ranma replied, completely excited at the thought of learning a new technique.

"Once we reach the clearing and rest. I will consult with my mother. Besides, there will be a lot of food to eat once we reach my home."

" That's good. I've been walking all day," Ranma replied with a renewed spring in his step.

Pushing aside the underbrush, Storm stepped into a clearing, turning around she warned, "Don't be alarmed when you see my mother. She can be a bit....scary when you first see her."

"Heh, Why would I be afraid of an old woma...." Ranma broke off when he spotted something big sitting in the middle of the clearing. Gasping in shock when he finally recognized what his eyes were seeing. Ranma gulped and whispered, "Is that a dragon?"

Smiling at her companions reaction, Storm replied, "Hnnn. That's my mother...." she was interrupted by Ranma's exclamation of surprise.

"Holy shit!" Ranma cursed, completely shocked at the site that stood before him.

"...............who also just happens to be a dragon," Storm finished, wryly.

************************************************


	6. Meating face to face!

Chapter 5.

The hunting party trudged wearily into the clearing where Ku-Lon waited, the elder poked at the fire a few more times, tossed some herbs into the waiting pot and then glanced upwards, Well? What have you found to make you come back so early? she asked, curiously.

We believe that we've found the Tendo girl Su-Tan's reply trailed off at the end as she gulped nervously. 

I don't know.I'm still not sure that it was her, Cho-Mei replied skeptically while worrying at her lower lip. 

Shut up! Shan-Pu growled, clenching her hands at her sides. It was her!..her eyes may have been different but.it definitely was her!

Mou-sei stepped forward, shoving herself in-between the two, placing her hand on their chests, she tried to placate them, Hey! Come on you two.there's no need to fight. We will get her _if_ she is the one we're looking for. I for one think that there is a slim chance that she's the one...but I did notice a few odd things about her. Noticing that she had their full attention, Mou-sei stepped back and continued, Did you see her eyes? 

Shan-Pu frowned as she remembered the girls' strange pupil-less eyes. Noticing the purple hared amazons expression, Mou-sei forged on, .and those pointed ears? she smirked as Shan-Pu's eyes widened to the size of basketballs. Mou-sei's sense of satisfaction grew with each point that hit home, and the way she moved?.how about how she acted? A bit skittish of people wouldn't you say?

Hnnn. Now that you mention itshe was acting strange.kind of like one of the ancient forest folk, Su-Tan murmured, frowning, deep in thought.

Stepping forward, Lu-Fa interrupted them, Maybe it was magic that changed her? Whirling around, she faced the elder and asked, You are familiar with the lore of the valleyare you not, Elder?

Frowning, Ku-Lon pondered for a moment before glancing towards the group, Yes. But, it has been many years since I have had to search my memories. Turning, she scooped out some of the stew and began to eat, searching her memories of things learned when she was young.

  
(**Flashback **)

A noise was heard over the quiet chirping to the crickets; shadows moved, deceiving the human eye and then nothing. Another sound was heard, this time it was the footstep of two seven-year-old girls as they quietly moved through the village towards the record hall. One of the girls stumbled on a loose stone and cursed, Darn it!

A child with purple hair whispered harshly. Do you want to get caught?

But, Ku-Lon..we're only going to read more about the story mama told us, Ku-Ream replied, puzzled at her friend's insistence of stealth.

That's not the point! If we're caught then, we'll be punished. You have to remember that our mothers told us to stay inside at night or the Musk scouts will get us. We're still at war with them Ku-Lon replied, peeking around the corner of a hut to check for the guards. Seeing that the coast was clear, she motioned for her friend to follow and set off towards the center of the village with Ku-Ream following close behind.

They had almost made it to the safety of the record hall when the sound of voices reached their ears, followed by the flickering light of torches. Oh no!" Ku-Ream gasped at the sight of the flickering flames heading their way. "We're going to get caught! Quick!" she gave a slight tug on her companion's sleeve. Pulling Ku-Lon's arm towards the direction they had come from. "Let's go back! Ku-Ream whispered in a blind panic as she grasped onto Ku-Lon's tunic.

Ku-Lon whispered, pulling her arm from her friends' grasp, she covered her Ku-Ream's mouth with one hand. Hold still and don't make a sound, she breathed quietly, her lips brushing her friends ear as she pulled her back into the darkest shadows of the hut, they'll pass us by if we make ourselves as small as possible and keep quiet.

As three warriors paused in front of their hiding spot, both girls froze in fear. They knew if they were caught, their mothers would punish them severely. One guard spoke, "I was sure I heard something from over here." On top of her head; pointed ears swiveled from side to side, trying to detect the slightest whisper of sound.

"You're always hearing things, Cha-mez," a tall green muscular guard named Ivy spoke, rubbing the butt of her spear against her leg.

"Yeah, you're always jumping at the slightest noise, "a scarred red hared guard went by the name of Blaze, interjected teasingly as her foxlike tail wagged back in forth in anticipation of the coming fight. Her features resembled that of a human mixed with a fox. Her hair even matched her name, as it seemed to burst with vibrant color not unlike a flame. For some odd reason, she couldn't resist teasing her friend every chance she got, which was every night. 

  
Cha-mez frowned and replied, "Hey! I can't help it if my hearing is sixteen times that of a regular human!" Cha-mez flattened her ears in a sign of displeasure as she continued ranting, "It's not my fault that I fell into the spring of drowned cat-girl....." her tail lashed back and forth; a sign of extreme agitation. Hissing furiously, not unlike the cat she now resembled, Cha-mez yelled, "I was pushed I tell you!" Her companions sighed in exasperation; extremely tired of hearing the same story every night.

"Well..... if you ask me....and I don't care if you didn't," Blaze said, giving Cha-mez a pointed glare that made her friend bite back a snarl and she continued speaking as if nothing had interrupted, "....in my opinion _ that's why_ the three of us are always given the night shift. After all, we all have a complimentary curse similar to yours. If there's anyone out there that we don't know, I'd be able to smell it."

"I for one, think we should get back to patrolling the village. You never know when those musk dogs will strike. We've already lost several of our warriors to the Musk warriors claws, " Ivy replied as she scanned the night with her keen eyesight. Her eyes glowed with an eerie luminescence as they absorbed all available light which enabled her to see as clearly as if it was daylight. Her companions nodded and they all moved off towards the other side of the village, leaving the two girls to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Come on, now's our chance!" Ku-Lon hissed as she pulled Ku-Ream along by her arm. "We better hurry while they're on the other side of the village or we'll certainly catch hell from our mothers if we're caught."

"Ku-Lon!" Ku-Ream wined as she tugged on her arm. "Not so fast!....hey let go!" she exclaimed in frustration as she was pulled at a much faster pace than before. Tripping over a loose stone in the path, Ku-Ream yelped quietly as it dug painfully into her knee as she fell, "I said...let go!"

  
Ku-Lon stopped her mad dash across the village square, turned towards her friend and whispered, "What the hell are you complaining about! We have to get out of sight before we're discovered!"

"That's easy for you to say! You can walk normally!" Ku-Ream whispered furiously, stabbing her index finger in Ku-Lon's chest as she continued to state her point, "I can't run as fast as you with my leg being half healed from that Bon-bori strike you hit me with this morning....I was told that the bone has a hairline fracture!"

Ku-Lon's eyes widened as she sucked in a breath of surprise she flinched and replied, "Why didn't you tell me before I started to drag you half way across the village!"

"I tried!" Ku-Ream whispered as she limped across the rest of the distance to the record hall. "You were not listening to me!" Sighing in exasperation, Ku-Ream continued as she picked the lock on the door and slipped inside, "besides, who else would be able to pick this lock. I'm the only one capable enough to do it without setting off the traps." 

Giving her friend a slight smile, Ku-Lon nodded her head in the darkness and replied, "Yes. You're right...and I'm sorry for not listening to you when you told me to let go. I was so focused on getting inside and reading the scrolls that I deliberately ignored you. I promise to never do that again."

"Good!" Ku-Ream replied, smiling. "Now lets get to reading those scrolls, I, for one, am very curious as to why we're not allowed to read them yet."

"Well....since we're now here....why don't you take that side," Ku-Lon pointed towards a row of shelves over on her right. "I'll take the left side. If you find it give a shout...but, not too loudly or we'll alert the guards to our presence.

Nodding her agreement, Ku-Ream set off in the direction of the shelves while Ku-Lon searched the cabinets for the one scroll that gave the history of the forbidden valley. They had been searching for a good hour when Ku-Ream squealed in delight as she waved a scroll in the air, "I found it! Come see, Lon-chan....I found the scroll!"

Replacing the scrolls she had in her hand back where they belonged, Ku-Lon hurried towards Ku-Ream's side. Taking the scroll from her hand, Ku-Lon unrolled it and began reading. Two more hours passed as they gleaned important facts about the valley and it's inhabitants. So deeply were they engrossed that they never heard the door open behind them, nor see the narrowing of six pairs of eyes. But, the one thing they noticed was when their ears were yanked hard, pulling them to stand on their tiptoes by Cha-mez and Blaze while Ivy growled out furiously, "I hope you have a good reason to be in here!"

**End Flashback**

  
Shaking away the memory, Ku-Lon sighed wistfully before focusing on the group before her. Her suspicions confirmed by her recent memory recall, she yelled, I believe that the girl is the Tendo girl! But, we will go home so I may speak to the council. I will need their permission to hunt the girl if she lives in the valley. If we have their permission to enter then, I will make us some special charms so we will be able to return home alive.

What do you mean return home alive, Elder? Cho-mei asked as a deep shiver of fear ran down her spine.

Narrowing her eyes, Ku-Lon glared at the girl and snapped, I meant what I said! If we wish to remain in the world of the living..we will need those charms to be able to ward off the creatures that live in the valley."

"Why would we need such things as that great-grandmother? We're Amazons and we are superior fighters....even in a small number nothing would take us down easily. The ancient one might be a problem and besides.....I don't think we have anything else to worry about. Why wait and consult the council! We should use stealth and capture the girl and bring her back to the village so we can kill her in front of the council." 

  
"Stupid girl!" Ku-Lon shouted as she stood; advancing quickly, the elder backed Shan-Pu up against a tree, her face red with anger she pointed her staff at her great-granddaughters throat and smirked as Shan-Pu squeaked in surprise. "Dragons are not the only things that live there," Ku-Lon's lips compressed into a thin line as she glared and snarled, "There are things in that valley that would not hesitate to eat you alive and there would be nothing you could do to prevent it!"

"How do you know, Elder?" Su-Tan asked quietly, her face alight with curiosity.

"Yes," Mou-sei piped up as she leaned forward, doubt clearly written on her face. "I would like to know how is it that you know what's in the valley? What would be able to take down an Amazon? I didn't think that there is anything that could do that."

  
"Ah, I see that I will have to explain." Ku-Lon said as she lowered her staff and motioned for the girls to break camp and follow. Nodding in satisfaction, Ku-Lon headed off in the direction of the village. As she walked, she told them her story, "When I was young.....a friend of mine didn't believe the tales told by the council and her parents. Her name was Per-Fum. One day, we were playing not far from the entrance to the valley. I told her that it was too dangerous to be so close to the valley. Per-Fum sneered at me and was about to say something when she was cut off in mid syllable as loud roar came from behind us. We turned around and came face to face with something from our worst nightmares."

The girls gasped in anticipation of the tail and a bit of suspense. They all glanced towards Ku-Lon with wide eyes.  
Ku-Lon paused in her narrative and glanced back at the young warriors and nodded in satisfaction. She could see their expressions; they eagerly hung on to every word that fell from her lips. Turning around, Ku-Lon forged ahead, she could see the village just ahead. Eager to speak with he council, she quickened her pace and continued, "Before she could scream, it had her in its jaws. Now, I wasn't sure what it was at the time but a few hours later I found out that it was a fire salamander. The warriors from the village heard the commotion and came running will all available weapons. They were able to drive it back with spells and enchanted weapons. But, unfortunately they were not able to save Per-Fum. During the battle, the beast swallowed her alive." 

  
"Aieya!" Shan-Pu exclaimed. "That's horrible!"

"Ooh, I think I'm going to be sick!" Mou-sei moaned as she shuddered in revulsion.

"That's no way for an Amazon warrior to die!" Su-Tan exclaimed, eyes wide, reflecting the horror she felt.

"Is there another way into the valley?" Lu-Fa asked quietly.

Sighing, Ku-Lon paused at the council chamber and replied, "No. There is no other way into the valley that we know of. All of the entrances are hidden from human eyes. The only ones that know of another way into the valley are the ones that currently reside inside. The dragons and the ancient forest folk are the only intelligent ones that live there along side the beasts. They are the ones that keep the beasts from straying into our world. But, with magic dying out, they are fewer in number and can barely keep up with controling the beasts." With those last words on her lips, Ku-Lon turned and entered the chamber; leaving the girls to their own devices.

Once Ku-Lon disappeared behind the curtain, the group sat down on the ground, fully prepared for a long wait. Over the next few minutes each thought about what the council might decide and hoped beyond hope that they would not have to enter the valley.

***********************************

"Ah, Ku-Lon, "Min-Tsu replied, glancing up from the papers scattered across the table. "I could not help but overhear what you have told the young ones. You know that to break this pact is a very serious offence and is one that must be considered from all angles." 

"Yes, I understand honored mother, "Ku-lon replied, bowing low at the waist out of respect for the oldest living Amazon. "But we must capture the Tendo girl to restore Shan-Pu's honor and bring her wayward husband back to the village where he belongs. We think that the Tendo girl is, or has somehow been changed by magic and would like to bring her here to confirm this."

"Hnn, This is a decision that all of the council should make," Min-Tsu replied with a weary sigh. Being that she was the oldest living Amazon and that her age exceeded five hundred years, Min-Tsu was well respected for her advice and opinions. Everything she said _was_ law. When council meetings were held, it was Min-Tsu who had the last and final say on any matter in the village. 

Min-Tsu rose slowly from her well used chair. Then, she grabbed her walking stick and shuffled her way over towards a horn that hung from the main post of the hut. Her journey around the table took her well over five minutes. Ku-Lon made a move towards the horn but froze when she received a withering glare from Min-Tsu. "I can manage well enough, child. I'm not so old that I'm helpless!"

"Forgive me, honored mother," Ku-Lon replied, bowing once more. Retreating a step, she wondered, _"I know I should help her get the horn...but if I try I just know she'll wack me with that cane of hers. I remember all of the times she hit me when I was still a child."_ Ku-Lon shuddered in remembered fear._ "Even now, she's still as agile when she was two hundred. But, that is very hard to see at the moment since she's decided to take her time." _Turning her attention back towards watching Min-Tsu's journey to reach the center of the room, she heard her muttering quietly to herself as she walked, "Humph! Youngins these days! Can't allow us older people to do things for themselves, I'm not feeble...I can still take down anyone who tries to...to..." Min-Tsu paused as a puzzled expression appeared on her face as she lost her train of thought, focusing her attention towards Ku-Lon she asked, "now what was it I was saying?"

Rolling her eyes, Ku-Lon sighed quietly, then spoke up," Young people, honored mother." 

"...ah yes, youngins, they have no respect for their elders....." Min-Tsu continued muttering quietly until she reached the horn. Grasping it around the handle, she drew a deep breath, brought it to her lips and blew with all her might. The sound that it produced was loud and carried throughout the village. During past years, the horn was used to call all warriors to battle and put fear in their enemies hearts; it was not unlike the sound of a trumpet but it had a much deeper sound that carried for miles around. Now, it was used to call the rest of the elders and warriors from the village to convene for a serious discussion. Removing the horn from her lips, Min-Tsu panted for awhile, waiting to catch her breath before speaking, " The council will meat at the first sight of the moon." 

"But what shall we do now that you have called all of the village to the council meeting?" Ku-Lon asked, impatience thinly valed in her question.

"Now child, we must wait."

  
***************************************************

"Your mother's a dragon!" the yell echoed loudly through the valley loud enough to alert the massive red dragon resting in the clearing. 

Xanixi lifted her massive wedge shaped hear in alarm and whirled around to face the strange voice. Eyes focusing on the stranger the massive dragon growled, _"A HUMAN!....HERE IN THE VALLEY!"_ the thought echoed throughout her mind. 

Ranma heard the growl and gulped, "Hey, um...Storm. I don't think she likes me!"

"What makes you think that?" Storm asked from her hidden position behind a tree trunk.

"It's just that she growled at me, " Ranma replied, taking a cautious step backwards.

A clawed foot followed his retreat as Xanixi's rage skyrocketed. If Ranma had been able to feel the essence of it, he would have trembled in awe.**_ "HOW DARE A HUMAN SET FOOT IN THIS PLACE WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!"_** Xanixi thought, roaring her fury to the world and then, lunged, jaws agape, ready to break the intruder in half.

"Oh shit!" Ranma cursed as he threw himself to the side. Just in time to avoid the snapping jaws; jaws strong enough to crush a car if given the chance. "Hey! I'm not gonna hurt ya!" Ranma yelled in a blind panic as he continued to dodge the return swipe of a massive clawed forearm. "Why th' hell are ya attackin me!"

  
Storm watched the scene in complete shock as her mother attacked her new friend. Quickly, running out into the open, she tried to get her adoptive mothers attention, "Mother!...Stop!" Her shouts fell on deaf ears as Xanixi continued her relentless attack on the pigtailed boy. 

Xanixi's rage was so great that it overrode all reason. Nothing got past it except one thing, _"I MUST KILL THIS HUMAN BEFORE HE TRIES TO HURT MY ONLY DAUGHTER!...... HE MUST DIE!"_ Swinging her tail around with a loud crack, she used it like a whip, each time aiming for the human's neck hard enough to silce off his head in one blow.

"Yipe!" Ranma yelped as he managed to duck out of the way. He could feel the force of the swing as the air currents as the tail passed overhead, pushed him downwards. Quickly, jumping into a ready position, Ranma waited for the next attack. Cocking his head in a slightly puzzled manor, he watched as the dragon stopped all motion for a split second while taking a deep breath. Suddenly, an illusive memory tickled his conciousness; about a story his father told him when he was five hit him like a ton of bricks, _"Now what was it that Pop told me about when I was five....I seem to remember that it was about dragons. This dragon is red.....red dragons....hmm,....come on, Ranma think! ....red dragons......................................red dragons.................breathe............................**FIRE!**" _

"Mother...No," Storm whispered quiet enough that no one heard her words. She wastched as Ranma somersault over a tail-swipe and then flip himself over the searing heat of her mother's flame-thrower breath._ "Why is mother doing this!....I must get her to stop this madness!" _she thought as she took off running, heading directly towards Ranma. 

"SHIT!" Ranma yelled, dodging the searing heat of the dragons flaming breath. "Do somethin'!" he yelled, bending over backwards as a massive clawed hand passed directly over where his head used to be. He was exhausted from all the traveling he had done all day and didn't think he could continue this much longer. "Hurry upor she's gonna kill me!" he panted, feeling the last of his strength finally leave him.

Storm watched as Ranma finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell to the ground. She watched in dawning horror as her mother opened her massive jaws for the final blow. "No!" Storm murmered and even before the words had finished forming on her lips she threw herself to the ground, covering his body with hers, closing her eyes, she screamed loudly, "MOTHER STOP! PLEASE!"

Rearing her head backwards at the sound of her daughter screaming, Xanixi cocked her massive head and glanced downward to see her covering the boys body with her own. "What are you doing my daughter! Get away from him! He's a human and humans are dangerous,"she hissed menacingly before snorting her eire and then continuing her speach, "...and by law, is therefore, not allowed inside of this valley without magic. So, it is my duty to eliminate the threat!" 

Shaking her head, violently, Storm pleaded, "No! Mother, please don't!" Gripping, Ranma's waist tighter, Storm glanced upwards and whispered in mandarin, "He's my friend....and....and I think...No!" she shook her head as a memory surfaced. It seemed like she was there, watching him through her own eyes; it was of the boy she was holding. He stood in a wooden structure, wearing a white dogie, smiling....at her. Blinking the memory away, Storm whispered, "...I know that he has something....some connection with my past!"

Sighing, Xanixi backed away and replied, "Very well. I will give this human a chance to speak before I make my decision. Besides....I would like to take another look at him." Xanixi furrowed her scaly nose in thought as she detected something strange coming from the boy. "He seems to have some strange aurora around him....laced with something faint but yet, it is magic that I sense." 

"Thank you, Mother!" she whispered hapilly while smiling at her. Then, Storm slowly stood, backing away from the pig-tailed boy only enough that he could get to his feet. Yet, she stayed near enough to help him should her mother decide to attack. Reaching out a hand, Storm smiled and helped him stand and spoke quietly, "Ranma, mother has decided that she wants to talk to you."

Eyeing the red dragon with trepidation, Ranma took the helping hand and stood. He frowned and replied apprehensively, "Ya sure she's not waitin' till yer distracted ta kill me?"

Storm blinked in surprise, "Why would you...."

Loud chuckling and a flash of light interrupted her as her mother transformed, "I like this boy!" Xanixi smiled and continued, "He has spunk and that is refreshing to see for someone as old as I."

Ranma gaped at the sight as an old woman stepped forward. Mouth flapping like a fish out of water, he asked, "W...where did_ **you**_ come from! Weren't ya a dragon a moment ago?!"

"Mmmm, yes." Xanixi laughed once more, a twinkle lighting her eyes as true amusement raced through her soul. "I'm considered ancient even to my kind. I have the ability to transform into a human if I want. This came through the practice of magic that has been long forgotten even to my kind." 

Curiosity getting the better of him, Ranma stepped forward and asked, "How old are ya, exactly?"

Xanixi blinked as he asked that question and replied with a smile, "You do know that it isn't polite to ask a lady her age?"

Ranma blushed, finally realizing his social gaff. Toeing the ground he mumbled an apology, "Ah...s-sorry. My father raised me since I was five. Never had much contact with girls..." Silently, he cursed his lack of manners while eyeing the old woman to watch her reaction.

Xanixi smiled, then she laughed loudly, and clutching her stomach as tears ran down her human cheeks. "Oh my! I haven't seen one of your kind since I was five hundred years old." Sobering up, she replied seriously, "Ah, I see. You were taken away from your mother at a young age to train." Seeing his startled expression, Xanixi cocked her head and continued, "You didn't think I could tell that you were a martial artist?"

"Um, Yeah. How th' heck could you," he scratched his head while asking curiously, " ...tell I mean?" 

"I could tell because _I_ have trained many of the forest folk in this valley the art." Turning, she pointed towards her daughter and replied, "Storm is my latest student. She has managed to master many things in such a short period of time and quite frankly, I am amazed. It is almost like she has had previous training."

"Muu, You never mentioned it before," Storm complained, pouting.

Raising an eyebrow, Xanixi replied hauntaly, "That is because if I did...you," she stroked her daughters cheek and smiled, "would have gotten a swelled head."

As Ranma watched their interaction, he could not help think of his own mother and how much he missed her. At Xanixi's last comment he laughed, "Hahahahaha! She's got a point!" 

"Grrrr! RANMA!!" Storm yelled, whirling on her companion, she stomped up to him so they were chest to breast and growled, "You don't even know me...so take it back!"

Ranma blinked at the familiar sound of her voice and the cadence matched that of his fiancée, Akane. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he dismissed the possibility that she could be Akane and answered, "Hey! I'm only tellin' th' truth! My Pop told me th' same thing when he was trainin' me!"

"Humph!" Storm huffed as her anger and wounded pride deflated a bit. Turning, she crossed her arms and settled herself down to listen.

Xanixi smiled at the boy and decided to get right to the point so she asked, "Why have you come here?"

Ranma turned away from Storm and replied, "I've got a bone ta pick with th' Amazons.... they kidnapped my fiancée, Akane. I've been trackin' them since I got ta China." Then, Ranma explained as best he could, what his fiancée looked like. "... and I was just outside th' valley and almost got caught by a large hunting party when I met her," he pointed in Storms direction. Suddenly, he was hit by an idea; clearing his throat nervously, he gazed at Xanixi in renewed hope and asked, "Maybe you could help me find her?"

Xanixi furrowed her brow as his words tickled something in the back of her mind. What the boy said raised her suspicions a bit. But, not wanting to mention anything until she was sure of his true intentions, she decided not to say anything about finding her adoptive daughter in the woods. Nodding her head in agreement, Xanixi replied, "I will help you to the best of my abilities."

Letting the tension from his shoulders for the first time since he found Akane missing, Ranma smiled and replied, "Thank you." 

**********************************************************

Autors Note: "Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Boy was it a hard one to write....especially when I had writers block! I'd like to thank one of my reviews in giving me this idea when she mentioned that she'd like to see Xanixi's reaction to Ranma. ..........Thanks! Anyway, I'm currenly working on chapter six and I hope to complete this story in ten chapters or less. Let me know what you think!

"Oh, and on another note, I've gotten a few reviews from some people who mentioned that they'd like a sequal to Stranded." (Well, I'm not sure that I will do a sequal...but if I get one hundred and fify reviews on that story....I just might do a sequal.) 

Now, on Demons Revenge. "Some people were asking me to do a few more chapters? (Let me just say that if I get thirty people asking for a few more chapters then I will do a few more"

. As for Heritage...some people mentioned that they'd like to read about what happens when Ranma and Akane get to Hawaii...."hmmm that just might be interesting don't you think? I might...just might mind you; think about adding a few more chapters to that story if I get thirty more reviews asking for this. Well anyway, I'm glad you are reading my stories and I hope that you enjoy them. 

Thank you for all of your support,

D-Chan! ^ --^


	7. Decisions

  
Chapter 6. 

  
Inside the council chambers a large number of Amazons sat for the past three days still locked deep in their argument on whether or not they should enter the valley. At the beginning start of the council meeting a few days ago, heated debates were the mainstay of the meeting. Then on the second day, the meeting was adjourned so that everyone could calm down enough to give themselves time to think and come up with good arguments. Now, on the third day, tempers were wearing thin at this point and only needed a spark to ignite them.

Why should we even bother with magic charms to get into the valley! An Amazonian warrior named Lum-Pu yelled, while pounding her fist on the table for emphasis. Turning, the green hared Amazon bowed low to the reverend mother and continued, Your pardon honored mother if I accidentally give offence. Turning, she faced the assembled warriors again and continued in a strong tone, loud enough to carry throughout the council chambers, We are AMAZONS! We should not need magic to get into the valley to protect us! We should go in there and capture the girl without those useless magic charms!

The room erupted into loud grumbling of dissent and a few shouts echoed throughout the chamber. a voice from the back whispered heatedly, almost as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

IS SHE INSANE! and Amazon clad in a deep purple training gi yelled from the far right side of the room.

Min-Tsu rolled her eyes in exasperation. This same argument had been going on for three days straight and frankly she was getting tired of it. Sighing, she pounded her staff against the table firmly. Unfortunately, it wasn't heard over the din as someone yelled at exactly same time she struck the table. 

I THINK SHE HAS A POINT! THIS IS THE MODERN AGE AND NOT THE STONE AGE! Xing-shi yelled as she agreed with her long time friend of thirty years.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MAGIC ANYMORE! A young Amazon named Tsu-fu yelled, slashing her hand in a manor that indicated that the discussion was closed.

  
Ti-Pei growled loudly, erupting from her seat she glared at the disbeliveers and shouted, WE SHOULDN'T ENTER THE VALLEY! XAIN-PU SHOULD LIVE IN DISGRACE SINCE SHE IS SO INCOMPETENT AND FAILED TO BRING HER HUSBAND HOME!

WHAT! You take that back, Ti-Pei! Sham-Pu screamed as she erupted from her seat; the chair fell to the floor with a loud clattering noise. The purple hared Amazon opened her mouth to start screaming obscenities at Ti-Pei when she felt a wooden staff connect with her backside quite painfully; effectively silencing her. 

Ku-Lon glared at her great-granddaughter and growled a warning, Quite! This is your fault so you must sit down and listen! You're not allowed to speak!

Sham-Pu pleaded quietly, but the withering glare she received from Ku-Lon wilted her courage to ashes. Grumbling under her breath, the purple hared Amazon righted her chair and sat down while cursing quietly, Stupid bitchthat Ti-Pei has no right to judge me! Grrrrrrrr!

Tie-Pei glared at Shan-Pu, watching as she was effectively silenced by her great-grandmother. Turning, she focused her attention back towards the debate as a blue hared Amazon from her group, who went by the name of Xain-Ho pointed towards Lum-Pu and yelled, YOUR POINT ABOUT SNEEKING INTO THE VALLEY WITHOUT THE MAGIC CHARMS TO PROTECT US, LUM-PU IS TOTALLY ASSININE.NOT TO MENTION SUICIDAL! 

I agree with you Xain-Ho! Lum-Pu is trying to undermine the council and our beliefs.the stupid bitch should be banished! Tie-Pei yelled with obvious malice. Ti-Pei hated Lum-Pu ever since she tried to get away with dishonoring her family by trying to lure her husband away. The tension between the two was so great that each tried to avoid the other or an all out shouting match would erupt. All who were in the council chamber knew of Lum-Pu's transgressions and secretly agreed with Ti-Pei. The room exploded in an all out shouting match when Ti-Pei's supporters rallied to her side in support. The volume level rose to a roar as each speaker began throwing insults at each other.

You Bitch! Lum-Pu yelled in furry.

Ti-Pei gasped in shocked surprise before anger overruled her better judgement, Oh yeah! Well you're a fat whore!

  
Lum-Pu yelled in rage before taking a deep breath and yelling the worst kind of insult she screamed, You're a husband stealer! You took my husband away from me!

Ti-Pei's eyes slitted in anger as she screamed back, HE LEFT YOU BECAUSE YOU TURNED INTO A FAT PIG!

Well you!!!

BANG! BANG! BANG! The sound shook the council chamber as Min-Tsu channeled her ki into her staff and struck the table as hard as she could. Taking a deep breath and imbuing her voice with ki she shouted, THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH!

  
The shouting mach was instantly silenced as everyone froze. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop as the gathered Amazons dared not breathe for fear of upsetting, Min-Tsu. The reverend mother of the Amazons narrowed her eyes at the assembled gathering of her sisters and growled, "I_HAVE_HAD_ENOUGH_OF THIS USELESS ARGUING! YOU WILL ALL SHUT UP ABOUT WHO'S HUSBAND IS WHO'S AND TRY TO COME TO A DECISION ON WEATHER OR NOT WE GET THE TENDO GIRL!" Turning, Min-Tsu gripped Ku-Lon's shoulder and pointed her finger at the assembled Amazons and spoke in a deadly tone of voice used to frighten all into submission, "You will listen to what elder Ku-Lon has to say about the valley. She is the last surviving member of our tribe besides myself who has seen what resides inside of the forbidden valley with her own eyes!" Stepping back, she allowed the war leader to speak.

Ku-Lon bowed towards Min-Tsu and whispered, "Thank you honored mother." Turning, she faced the assembly and spoke in a clear tone that carried throughout the room, "I know that most of you don't believe in magic?" She paused, watching a few Amazons nod their heads in silent agreement before continuing, "I am going to tell you that magic does exist. My great-granddaughter is the proof of it! Included are the rest of the strange things I have seen in my long life. If magic did not exist, then, my great-granddaughter would not be able to turn into a cat!" Turning, she faced the Amazons who did not believe in magic and said, "If magic does not exist, then, why is a dragon living in the forbidden valley?" Whirling around to glare at the other Amazons, Ku-Lon brought her staff down on the floor with a resounding crack! "I'll tell you why.....it is because dragons are creatures of pure magic and thus cannot live if there is no magic."

Lum-Pu cleared her throat, asking for permission to speak. Ku-Lon nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Elder. If magic exists as you say then why do we need to take charms to protect us in the valley?"

"Child, there are things in the valley that could just as easily eat you alive and not think twice about it. When I was a young girl, a fire salamander found its way outside of the valley and killed one of my friends. We were able to defeat it but at a great cost.....my friend died that day." Sighing, she faced the rest of the council and replied, "On that day that my friend died....we disobeyed our elders and had strayed too close to the forbidden valley. Only the magic charms and spells hidden deep within the older warriors weapons were able to kill the fire salamander. Now, I know that we are asking you to make a decision, but it is important to our nation that we restore Sham-Pu's horror by killing the Tendo girl and bringing her wayward husband to heal or the other tribes will think that we are weak! To do this we need to enter the valley and capture that strange girl. I hope you will make the right desion. " Ku-Lon stepped out of the center of the circle and made her way back towards her seat amidst the murmuring of the assembly.

  
The room erupted into quiet whispering as each group tried to come to a decision. Finally after another two hours of debate, Lum-Pu and Ti-Pei stepped forward. Ti-Pei was the first to speak, We have decided that Shan-Pu should go after the Tendo girl. We do not want to appear weak to our neighboring tribes and have them think that we are getting lax. Bowing before Min-Tsu, Ti-Pei stepped back and took her seat again as Lum-Pu spoke, "We have thought long and hard on our decision and even though we do not believe in magic we think that the girl should be brought here to determine if she is the Tendo girl. Once this is done, we believe that if Shan-Pu's husband is nearby, he will surely come to her rescue. When he enters the village we can easily subdue him and force him to marry Shan-Pu in exchange for the Tendo girls life. Once he agrees, we can then use the Xang-Fan-Go technique on both of them to wipe their memories of each other and their past lives. This, will strengthen the tribe if we bring in two new members." Bowing, Lum-Pu waited as the room exploded into another violent debate on whether or not the Tendo girl should now become a new member to the tribe or if she should die. 

Finally, Min-Tsu had had enough and once again called for silence, "Enough!" The room was instantly silenced by the elders shout, seeing that she now had complete control, Min-Tsu continued," I think that your idea is a valid one and I agree to this new point, Lum-Pu. However, things don't always go according to plan once you are engaged in a battle." Turning towards Ku-Lon, Min-Tsu nodded her head and spoke, "Then, it is settled, Elder Ku-Lon, you and your great granddaughter along with six of our warriors will go into the valley and retrieve the girl."

Ku-Lon bowed and replied, "Thank you. We will leave right away honored mother." Turning, she left the room with her Shan-Pu trailing behind. Shan-Pu's face, however remained impassive and didn't reveal her thoughts, "I don't care what the council says about Akane joining the tribe....for tricking me to escape...and causing me great shame.....I will kill her!" 

  
*************************************************************


	8. I Wonder if?

Chapter 7.

"Aaaaa! That really hit the spot," Ranma exclaimed as he set his bowl and chopsticks down. Glancing upwards, he smiled at Xanixi and continued, "That was the best Beef Lou Mein I've ever tasted!"

Smiling, Xanixi bowed her thanks and replied, "You're very welcome but, I did not make this. Storm made it and if I say so myself, this is the best one she has managed yet." Frowning, she bent closer to him as Storm gathered up the bowls and made her way to the sink and whispered, "Actually, this is the only time she has managed to make something edible. The other times she decided that she wanted to cook, she almost killed me. Likely, I'm a dragon and have a cast iron stomach...so I can eat just about anything and manage to survive."

"I HEARD THAT!" Storm yelled as she glanced over her shoulder, fists clenched in anger. Lifting her right hand, she pointed at her ears and growled, "I can hear a pin drop with these ears! So, don't think I couldn't hear you!" Turning around fully, she faced her adoptive mother and exclaimed, "It's not my fault that my fist attempt at cooking decided to grow legs and attack me!"

Ranma tried hard not to laugh at Storms exasperated expression but as soon as she said those words about her first attempt at cooking, he cracked up with laughter. Rolling on the floor, Ranma gasped out, "T....t...that s..sound.....l...like how ...A...Akane cooks.....except...everything ....s..she cooks grows legs and tries ta kill me!"

Xanixi snickered for the first few minutes before it turned into full blown laughter at the picture of a green blob chasing the pigtailed boy around the room as it had done with Storm. "You know, you were lucky that I was in my draconian form and managed to fry it to a crisp or you'd have been too injured to train!" She laughed harder while clutching her belly. Ranma gauffed loudly as he tried to calm down. However, after hearing Xanixi's explanation of how the blob(as he liked to call them) was destroyed the first time, he exploded into laughter again and exclaimed, "That's usually how we get rid of Akane's attempts except I usually beat it into submission first!"

Growling in anger, Storm stomped up to him while carrying a sopping wet dish rag and threw it in his face while yelling, "It's not funny! I could have been killed!"

Unfortunately for Ranma, the water in the rag was ice cold and there was enough of it to trigger his curse. Removing the rag from her head, Ranma-chan yelled, "Whadja do that for!"   
  
Recovering from her laughing fit, Xanixi blinked as she felt the strange magical aurora from the pigtailed boy activate. Glancing towards him, she gasped in wonder and exclaimed, "You've been to Jusenkyo! So that's what I senesced." 

"You were making fun of me!" Storm yelled before her eyes registered the site of a busty red head in the male Ranma's place and gasped, "How......"

Nodding his head he answered both questions at once, "Yeah, it really sucks because I'm a water magnate." Ranma-chan sighed, she was used to this since it happened so much but that didn't mean that she liked it. "Stupid curse!" Ranma-chan grumbled as she wrung her pigtail, removing the excess water. 

Lifting an eyebrow, Xanixi murmured,"You're really lucky that you turn into a human and not an animal."

"I guess I am," she replied, standing. Quickly, Ranma-chan made her way over to the fire pit where the tea kettle sat and doused herself with the warm water. "But, it still sucks," he growled quietly.

Storm blinked in amazement as she watched him change back into a boy before grinning," Either way, you're still you. Nothing can change that even if you switch genders. Besides," she moved closer and poked him in the chest and teased, "You're very pretty as a girl and if I was this Akane you keep mentioning, I'd throw myself in the nanichuan just to make us the perfect couple!"

Ranma's head snapped towards her and he glared, "Don't even say that! You don't want to be cursed like me. This curse I have makes me think that it has a mind of its own and always wants to keep me as a girl....well I'm a _guy_and I'm going to find the cure for this and not have to change into a girl again." 

Storm frowned as a memory of a tall boy wielding a boken, started to surface, shrugging mentally, she decided to continue teasing him as she edged closer to the door to make a quick getaway, "Oh, I don't know.....I'd say you have someone back home who wants to date your girl form and would really would enjoy giving you a kiss!" 

"Why you!" Ranma growled, lifting his hands, he made grasping gestures with them, advancing a step and growling incoherently.

Giggling, Storm stepped backwards, hand placed on the latch of the door and continued to tease him by making kissing noises, "Oh! I know....you want him to kiss you is that it!"

Those words were the last straw for the pigtailed boy as he jumped towards her yelling, "You take that back!" Reaching out his hands to grasp her shoulders, he was shocked when his attempt met only empty air. That was when he noticed that the door was open and Storm was running in the meadow towards the forest while hollering at the top of her lungs, "I'm right aren't I! You really do want to kiss a guy!"

"Aaaaarrrrrggggg!" he screamed in fury and took off after her in a dead run. Storm noticed that he was almost on top of her and squeaked, "Eeep!" 

Quickly, she turned around and began to run again while teasing him some more. After awhile, Ranma calmed down enough to noticed that she was just teasing him and then he began to relax and enjoy the thrill of chasing her. 

Laughter rang throughout the valley as Ranma dashed after Storm. Both were heading towards Storms favorite training ground that she had shown him the other day. Ranma couldn't believe that it had been three days since he had arrived and they had managed to become good friends. For some strange reason, Ranma felt very relaxed around his new friend and each time he glanced her way, he got a niggling feeling that he knew her from somewhere before. Storm, Glanced over her shoulder and laughed at Ranma's expression of puzzlement and asked, "What's got you worked up in such a knot?" 

Ranma sighed and replied, "I don't know but, everything you do...somehow reminds me of Akane." Grinning wryly, he rubbed the back of his neck and replied, "If it wasn't for those ears of yours and your long hair then, I'd say that you really _are_ Akane!" The dappled light that wove its way through the great canopy gave the forest an erie magical feel as Ranma watched Storms reaction to his words. 

Storm stopped in her tracks, glanced at him while cocking her head and replied, I very well could be your Akane since I don't have any memories and you do seem very familiar to me. Grinning at his startled expression Storm continued, "You know, a few days before I bumped into you, I had a dream. I can't remember any of it...except...an image of blue eyes that I think are trying to say something to me, Storm sighed as she pushed another branch out of the way before glancing towards her companion. They look kind of like yours, she said teasingly and quickly turned around, facing the path once more and started off again. 

Ranma stated in surprise while his thoughts tried to process this new information, Whoa! This is really strange. Storms been having weird dreams.Akane's missing.yet, Storm looks like Akane..Aw jeeze I'm so confused! Glancing upwards, he noticed that Storm had managed to wander quite a distance and shouted, "Hey wait for me ya tomboy!"

Starting at the feeling those familiar words brought forth, Storm whirled around and growled, "What did you call me you jerk!"

Ranma grinned as he came abreast with her and replied, "I called ya a tomboy, tomboy!" 

Storm didn't know why, but those words made her angry. Taking a step closer, she growled, "You take that back or you'll be sorry..."

Ranma noticed her reaction and decided to try something that would get a rise out of her. A thought entered his head and just wouldn't leave, "Hmm, if I try that, then ....if she reacts the same way....it just might be true." Grinning, he swayed back and forth while replying teasingly, "Nope. You're a tomboy and and uncute one at that....built like a brick with thighs that are too thick!" 

"Grrrrr! That's it! You're dead now!" Storm shouted as she lunged for Ranma, aiming to nail him in the stomach with a flying kick.

Ginning like a fool, Ranma dodged by leaping over her and called out, "Ha! You're too slow! Ya gotta do better 'n that!" Turning, he dashed off deeper into the forest, yelling all the way, "Tomboy! Too slow...can't catch me!"

Storm recovered from her missed attack to find Ranma a good distance away and immediately dashed off to catch up to him while yelling, "You better run! Cause when I catch you I'm going to beat you into a bloody pulp for the fun of it!"

Turning while in midair, Ranma stuck out his tongue and teased, "I'd like to see ya try!" With those last two words, the two figures disappeared into the undergrowth of the forest. Both, oblivious to the sudden silence of the forest animals.

******************************************************  



	9. The Hunt!

Chapter 8.

Morning arrived early in the Amazon village as the hunting party made themselves ready to leave. Each member gathered up the weapon that they were most proficient in and went to stand by the entrance of the village. Ten Amazons stood at the ready, each member equaled in skill to about two warriors. If one was to count, you could say that it was the equivalent of twenty warriors that were assigned to go on this hunt. A half an hour had passed already and Ku-Lon scowled in annoyance, she had been waiting for her great-granddaughter to show up. She had been standing at the village entrance for some time now and so far Shan-Pu had failed to arrive. "Where could that child be! I know I woke her up before I left the house."

A blue hared amazon named Su-zu stepped forward, "Elder? Where your great-granddaughter, Shan-Pu? She is wasting time and we need to leave soon if we're to enter the valley undetected."

Whirling, Ku-Lon sent the girl a withering glare while growling irritably, "I know she's late! That lazy girl has wasted enough time! Maybe I should go look for the brat." Nodding her head in agreement with her own suggestion, she hopped off in search for her errant great-granddaughter.

*****************************************************

A half hour ago:

The sun had barely risen between the mountains when Shan-Pu had been rudely awakened by her great-grandmothers walking stick as it struck her backside painfully. She cursed silently while grinding her teeth in frustration. Shan-Pu knew that any insolent behavior would urn her a crack across the backside again, so she held it in while murderous thoughts ran through her mind, _"Just you wait great-grandmother......when I finally manage to master all you have to teach me...I will kill you!"_

Silently, she arose from her bed and dressed in one of her hunting outfits before grabbing a quick breakfast and walking out the door, calling out, "I will join you in a little while great-grandmother. I have to go and retrieve my weapons from the blacksmith's shop. I had thought it wise to have them repaired. Then I'm going to stop by the apothecary to pick up some tranquilizing herbs."

"Good," Ku-Lon grunted in acknowledgement before grasping her staff and heading off to wake the others. 

Once Ku-Lon's back was turned, Shan-Pu headed off in the opposite direction of the blacksmiths. She had no intention of having her weapons fixed since they were in perfect working condition. The purpled hared Amazon had every intention of following her own plans. "I will kill kitchen destroyer if it's the last thing I do," she grumbled as she wove her way through the village heading for the local apothecary. 

Once inside the building, Shan-Pu greeted Xain-Lon, "Nihow."

A blond hared Amazon glanced up from rummaging through the various jars that she was taking inventory on and smiled before replying, "Oh, Shan-Pu. So nice to see you." Xain-Ho blinked as she got a good look at the purpled hared Amazon and exclaimed, "My you've grown up while you were away, haven't you."

"Yes. Its been over two years since I first left the village," Shan-Pu replied.

"Has it really? My…my, time sure does fly when you're busy," Xain-Ho replied before turning her attention back to the shelves and mumbling quietly to herself as she searched, "....mmmm where is it.....where is it....darn! I'm all out. I guess I'll have to go and get some more." Turning towards her visitor, Xain-Ho said, "I need to go and get more pennyroyal. Do you think you can find what you're looking for on your own?"

"I'll be fine. You go ahead and gather what you need," Shan-Pu replied, smiling.

"Good. I'll be back in an hour," the apothecary replied before heading out the door. 

Once Xain-Ho's back was turned, Shan-Pu headed towards the shelves that held all of the poisons known and unknown to the modern world. Some of the concoctions were so deadly that they were kept in glass jars and then placed in a stone jar with straw packed around the glass to keep it from moving. Shan-Pu walked right by them while muttering, "No. Not that one....no! Damnit! Not that one either." Pausing for a brief moment, she scanned the shelves before her eyes landed on the special jugs, weighing the pro's and cons of their use before shaking her head. "I won't touch those.... they're too dangerous even for me," she muttered. 

Scanning the shelves to her right, Shan-Pu's eyes landed on the one jar that she wanted. The writing on the jar was illegible from many hands rubbing away the writing over the years. It sat among the herbs that were considered helpful but, if used in the right quantities, it could be deadly as well. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Shan-Pu pulled it off the shelf, measured out the right amount to make it deadly while being extremely careful not to get any on her hands. 

Quickly, she mixed it with water and poured it onto her arrowheads. Then, she carefully wrapped the arrows and placed them in her quiver before putting everything back the way it was when she had first arrived. Then, to shake off any suspicions, Shan-Pu took down the tranquilizing herb jar and placed it on the table to make it look like she had used the correct item. 

Grinning maliciously, she left the apothecary and made her way towards the front of the village. When she was halfway there, Ku-Lon appeared in her path. So surprised was she that she began speaking in Japanese while trying to calm her racing heart, "Aieyaaaaa! Great-grandmother, You scared Shan-Pu out of two years of Shan-Pu's life." Cocking her head in puzzlement, Shan-Pu asked, "Why you here? You come looking for Shan-Pu?"

"Hmph!" Ku-Lon exclaimed irritably before replying, "I was coming to get you since you're late!" 

Gritting her teeth, Shan-Pu replied, "I'm sorry great-grandmother. Shan-Pu stopped to greet Xain-Ho before coming straight here."

Nodding her understanding, Ku-Lon grumbled, "Fine. But, now we must hurry or we'll lose the element of surprise." Pivoting in place, Ku-Lon hopped off to join the rest of the hunting party. Shan-Pu not two steps behind her growled sarcastically, "Yes, great-grandmother." 

*************************************************************

The hunting party paused at the entrance to the valley as Ku-Lon signaled for them to stop. "We will enter through here," she pointed towards the small cave entrance. "But, before we enter," she reached into her robes and pulled out a small cloth bag. As she opened the bag, she continued, "…we need to wear the talismans that will ward off any and all dangerous animals that live in the forbidden valley. You are to wear them and not take them off if you value your lives!" Ku-Lon said as she started passing around several necklaces strung with feathers, beads and bones. 

When she handed a necklace to her great-granddaughter, Shan-Pu frowned and muttering in Japanese she curled her lip and whispered, "This is protection?….not very pretty…..but…..if Shan-Pu have to wear this ugly thing then, Shan-Pu will." Sighing in disgust, the purple hared busty Amazon lifted her arms and slipped the necklace over her head before proceeding to fallow her great-grandmother into the cave. 

Once inside, Ku-Lon paused briefly to determine the correct path to take before glancing back towards the group. Seeing that the group had managed to keep up, the elder nodded her head in satisfaction and then stepped out of the cave and into the forbidden valley. 

******************************************

The hunting party had been traveling all day when they were stopped suddenly by the sound of something coming towards them from the underbrush. The Amazons formed a defensive line, spears at the ready and pointed towards the possible oncoming threat. Suddenly, something large and scaly emerged from the tree line. Su-Tan gasped in shocked surprise, "What the hell is that!"

Mou-sei blinked a few times as she tried to figure out just what this creature could be. It had the body of a horse and yet it was scaly like a lizard. Its feet were the strangest yet, instead of hooves, it had scaly claws. Moving her eyes towards its face, Mou-sei sucked in a startled breath at the sight of its eyes; they were a deep crimson in color but she couldn't be too sure because of the smoke coming from its nostrils. "Ah.....I have no idea what that thing is......" Turning, Mou-sei motioned for Ku-Lon to come forward and asked, "Elder, do you know what this creature could be?" 

Frowning, Ku-Lon eyed the creature as she searched her memories. Finally, a vague memory about this creature surfaced and she spoke, "This creature is what you would call a Dragon Horse. It's a mixture of the two species when magic ran rampant throughout the world and through some strange event....the two combined and formed this new species. They're only dangerous if you try to attack them. Another difference between normal horses and Dragon Horses is that they have fangs and eat meat instead of grass." 

Lu-Fa stepped backwards when the beast bared its teeth and snorted fire from its nose, "I think we better go another way since it doesn't look like it wants to leave."

"Shan-Pu agree with Lu-Fa. We should go another way so we won't become its next meal," the purple hared amazon shuddered at the thought of this creature attacking them. It looked like it could do allot of damage if it was determined enough. 

Nodding her head in agreement, Ku-Lon pointed to the right and said, "Yes, we should go this way. Just be on your guard since we don't know what else is out here." With those last words escaping her lips, Ku-Lon took off, heading in the direction where she could vaguely sense some ki signatures and thought, _"I think we might meet up with the owners of those soon. But, one of them seems very familiar to me….but, I wonder who the other could be? It seems twisted in some vague way and yet familiar in another."_

*************************************************************


	10. Trouble

  
Chapter 9 

  
Ku-Lon knelt in the dirt and began to draw a diagram while explaining each warriors role in the upcoming fight, Lu-fa, you are to circle around to the left while you, she pointed towards a blue hared amazon named Shuzu will go around to the right. Both of you will block off any means of escape. Turning, Ku-Lon pointed toward the Mou-sei and her sister, Su-mei and said, You two will cover the front and back escape routes while the rest of us will try and create enough confusion for the Saotome boy while Shan-Pu snatches the girl. 

I don't know about this. I think something's bound to go wrong, Su-mei murmured, apprehensively. 

Oh be quiet. You're worse them me when I'm not sure of something! Mou-sei snapped at her twin.

I am not! You're the one who's always she began to snipe back but was immediately interrupted by a painful blow from Ku-Lon's staff, 

Both of you shut up and proceed with the attack! Ku-Lon whispered harshly while glaring at the girls. Seeing that they were going to behave, Ku-Lon motioned for the warriors to begin with an impression of a birdcall.

Nodding in response, the four designated warriors slipped off through the shadows to block off any possible escape. Six of the remaining Amazons ran into the clearing in a direct attack and shouting their war cry while heading for the two in the clearing, "Yaaaaaaaa!" 

Startled by the noise, Ranma whirled around to see six warriors running towards him and cried out in surprise, "What the hell!!!" He stood there blinking for a split second before his battle senses took over when he saw three of the Amazons brake off and head in Storms direction while the other three headed directly for him. 

Startled by the war cry, Storm crouched in a defensive position while scanning her surroundings. Noticing the approaching warriors, she tried to warn Ranma of their presence, "Look out Ranma! They're Amazon warriors!"

"Why the hell are ya attackin us?" he shouted. When he received nothing in the was of a verbal answer, he directed his question towards his companion, "Hey Storm? Why are they attacking us?"

Not bothering to divert her attention from the green hared Amazon warrior who was currently trying to take off her head with an ax kick, Storm shouted her reply, " I don't know.....but, it looks like they are trying to separate us!"

"Lousy Amazons!," he screamed as his anger mounted. Memories all of his past encounters with the amazon nation shifted through his mind making his anger peak into pure unadaultered rage, "Always gettin in my way an causing trouble!" Ranma growled in anger dodging the an ax kick heading for his shoulder. Swiftly, he moved in to gain the advantage but his opponent managed to dodge the palm strike that was aimed for her chin. Then, the fight began in earnest, "Come on!" he shouted while motioning with his right hand for the lead Red hared Amazon to come closer he shouted, "I can take all three of ya!" 

Just as he was about to engage in battle he heard a cry of pain from Storm. Whirling, Ranma noticed that three of the Amazons had circled around her and had some how managed to move the fight away from her and had separated him from Storm. Storm, it appeared was having some difficulty handling the three warriors who, it appeared, were attacking at once. Realizing his mistake, Ranma fought harder to try and get to her side and cried out, " Hold on, Storm! I'm coming"

  
"You no get away, " a blue hared amazon said in badly mangled Japanese while launching multiple strikes towards his chest, face and neck. 

"We'll just see about that you bitch!" Ranma said while dodging each blow that the girl delivered. He returned the favor and managed to get in a few good hits before he was struck from behind. Grunting in pained surprise, he quickly threw himself on his hands and horse-kicked the attacker that had dared come from behind him. His feet connected with a thud and the green hared amazon gave a cry of surprise, "Ooofff!" and flew backwards to land in an unconscious heap. Then, while still on his hands he said, "Lets see how well you'll handle this," and steadying himself, he began to use his legs and kick another attacker in the head.

While this was occurring, Shan-Pu who had been in hiding, stealthily crept from behind a tree and thought, "Now, I will have my revenge. I don't care that the council wants her so that they can be sure that it's Akane." Shaking her head violently, the purple hared Amazon glared at Storm with immense hatred, "I will have Ranma for myself even if I have to kill you! I can make it look like an accident and when they question me, I can say that I accidentally grabbed the wrong jar of herbs. No one will be the wiser since the writing on these pots are so faded." Noticing that her prey was currently distracted she lifted her bow and arrow drew back on the string and aimed it directly at Storm's heart.

Ranma quickly glanced towards Storm to check her progress with the other amazons when a sound of a bowstring being drawn drew his attention. Eyes widening at the sight of Shan-Pu sighting her target, he glanced back to check the path of the arrow and realized that it would hit Akane. "No! I won't let you hurt her you bitch!" he growled and quickly flipped over his opponents' head just as the arrow was released. Ranma ran the last few feet and threw himself at Storm to knock her to the ground. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his shoulder, "Aaaaarrrrrrgggggggg!" he screamed in agony as the force of the arrow broke the bones in his shoulder as well as it delivered the deadly poison into his system as it punched through his shoulder. 

Storm, startled by Ranma's scream, whirled around and cried out his name as he fell, "RANMA!"

  



	11. End Game!

AN: Ok, after much angst and hard work, I have finally finished Dragons Gift! Yay!!! I'm so proud of myself! (swipes hand across sweaty brow) I had such a case of writers block and I kept arguing with myself on weather or not to do an epilogue or include more action on Shan-Pu's part. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and let me know what you think. Now, on to writing The Curse of the Catfist!....and finishing my other stories like The Trouble with Chibbies and my Kenshin Story, "Shadows of the Past!" Boy, is my plate full. Anyway,...I'd just like to say thank you for all of the reviews on all of my stories and on this one as well. 

Chapter 10 

As he lay there wracked with pain, all of his thoughts centered themselves on the girl that was bravely trying to defend both him and herself from their enemies and everything finally became clear to him. All of the little things that she did that reminded him of his missing fiancé finally clicked and he gasped in shock and pain. Oh god. It's you he whispered quietly before shuddering at the painful sensation that ripped through his heart. Oh Akane, I can't believe all this time I've denied my feelings. But, I don't, he coughed raggedly as blood welled up in his lungs, hindering his ability to breathe. When the coughing fit subsided enough he gasped, t-think I'm going to come out of this alive

Suddenly, his body stiffed as great stabbing pains radiated from his chest to the rest of his body. His back bowed with the intensity of the pain, he cried out, Akane! I.love you! Then, his eyes closed for the last time and Ranma's chest suddenly stopped moving.

Storm heard his last words of love and felt something snap within her mind. Everything came rushing back, her memories of the past hit her like an out of control freight train. Everything all at once, her sorrows, joys, her family. "I remember...my name...my name is Akane and...and Ranma is...Ranma is my fiancé.... he's the one....I love." Her eyes focused on his lifeless form and rage began to build beyond anything she had ever felt before. she whispered in denial before a scream erupted from her throat, So great was her rage that she unconsciously brought up her battle aurora. Her aurora towered about six times the normal size of a human's height and was composed of flames. So massive was the amount of energy that it towered high above the trees. The air crackled with magic and ki as Akane let loose a soul-wrenching scream that echoed throughout the Chinese countryside. Each beat of her heart strengthened the towering inferno until it was so bright that the Amazon war party cried out, What is that! ..What the hell is going on, while backing away and flinching as they averted their eyes. 

Within the blinding light, Akane fell to her knees, eyes blank and completely unaware of her surroundings, she moved closer towards his prone body, one hand outstretched in a pleading gesture she called to him in a broken whisper, "Ranma..." while refusing to believe that he was gone and that there was nothing she could do to bring him back. Akane reached out and as her fingers made contact with his skin the pulsing magic found an outlet and with a loud thunderclap echoed throughout the valley, it exploded...... 

**BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!**

The towering inferno began pulsing like the beating of one's heart and the bright light faded. Suddenly from the ground arose a swirling mist that began encircle Akane as she screamed out a soul wrenching cry towards the heavens. Her hair whipped violently as if in a strong storm and yet the air outside of the magical inferno was calm. .not Ranmathis isn't happening! Ranmadon't leave me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Akane's mind chanted as she slowly relived the scene of when he fell and the pain that erupted from her soul when she felt something connected to her soul, snap. 

Ku-Lon gasped in utter shock at the sight. What is the seven hells! she whispered, she couldn't believe what she was seeing, it looked like a million fireflies surrounded the girl's cry gained in volume," Ranma!" The ground shook almost imperceptibly, but gained in strength as the minuets passed by. Now Ku-Lon recognized the girl as she felt the wild fluctuations of ki. It was the Tendo girl that was currently surrounded by a storm of uncontrolled magic. Akane through her head back in a silent scream of anguished desperation as the mist traveled up from the ground in a spiraling motion until she completely disappeared with one last cry of his name, "Rannnnmmmmaaaaaa!"

Ku-Lon backed away while muttering, " In all of my three hundred years I have never seen anything like this!" 

**********************************************************

Miles away, Xanixi was in the middle of practicing a difficult kata when she felt the rise in magical energy, What the hell is that! Quickly, she searched the surrounding area and caught a brief inclining of rising magic. Then, following that brief sense; a loud booming noise shook the valley. "Storm!" she gasped out her adopted daughters name as she recognized the source of wild magic. Xanixi took off running towards a nearby cliff; all of her thoughts focused on one thing and one thing only, "I must hurry or she may destroy the valley!" Then, Xanaxi dove off the cliff and changed into her draconian form in mid fall; beating her wings furiously she struggled to gain enough altitude and speed to reach Storm in time.

Xanixi traveled for a good five minutes and upon her arrival, she saw the boy known as Ranma, lying on the ground and her adopted daughter engulfed in what appeared to be flames. "This is not good, " she whispered to herself as she landed nearby. Taking in everything at a glance, Xanixi noticed the cause of her adoptive daughters distress and narrowed her eyes at the intruders. Hissing in anger, Xanixi focused her gaze on the elder and growled out, "You! Why have you broken the truce between our people!"

Startled, Ku-Lon whirled around and whitened at the sight of the furious red dragon. Gathering up her flagging courage, Ku-Lon bowed respectfully and replied, "Ancient one, we have come to take back what is ours by right. The pigtailed one is my great granddaughters husband and the girl over there is to be taken to the council." Ku-Lon paused, she knew that if she told the entire truth, it just might mean their deaths if the ancient one was a friend of Akane's. Ku-Lon and the red dragon focused their gazes towards the center of the clearing and watched the events unfold.

*****************************************************************

As the mist encompassed her form entirely, Akane's once solid body became insubstantial, then it began to sparkle with hidden lights. Within a space of a second her body had disappeared and joined with the swirling mist and then moved directly towards Ranma's body and entered through his mouth and nose.

Suddenly, an unseen force lifted Ranma's body; spinning slowly as a pulsing light began emanating from every pore. The intensity of the light grew with each second that ticked by until it began to beat as if in time to the tune of a human heart. He floated there for was seemed like an eternity and yet it was just minutes as Akane's new form searched throughout his body, destroying every trace of poison in a desperate attempt to restore his life. 

As Akane's spirit form moved through darkness towards a faint and dying light, she realized that the light somehow symbolized Ranma's soul. Rushing forward, Akane wrapped her spirit around his and began radiating warmth and love. Gently, she coaxed him back to life before her powers waned, .come back to me! Please don't leave me alone again. If you leavethen I will die and follow you into the next life. Please live so we may live out our lives to their fullest!

***********************************

The soul floated in peaceful darkness, all cares and thoughts about its past were gone. All it cared about now was reaching the large glowing ball in the distance. To the soul, it seemed to be calling it home; to join it and sing with it until it was time to be reborn again. Somehow, even without a corporal body, the soul seemed to smile and began moving towards the warmth that it instinctively knew, was its home. But, something called to it; something that it seemed to recognize as its other half. The soul paused in the middle of its journey and glanced back towards the darkness and saw a single pin point of light. Focusing its attention on the light, the soul could hear a faint pleading for it to return and rejoin the land of the living to be with its other half. Filled with sadness and longing, the soul that was Ranma glanced one more time towards the light behind him before continuing on its way towards heaven. Yet, before he left completely, he could hear the words and felt a strong surge of love coming from a girl that his soul recognized as Akane. Stopping his journey forward, Ranma turned around and willed all of his thoughts into one word and communicated in the only way that a soul could, he answered back with a powerful surge of love and lunged towards her, "Akane!" 

Ranma's eyes fluttered open just in time to see Akane fall to the ground in a dead faint. He immediately thought the worst had happened, Ranma's heart shattered into a million pieces as he thought her dead. Gripping handfuls of dirt and grass in his hands he tilted his head back and screamed his denial into the night sky, 

**********************************************************************

Xanixi lowered her massive head and growled, "I have not granted you permission to enter the valley and for that you risk your death. The girl and the boy are under my protection and you have caused great harm this day." Smoke started to curl from the red dragons nostrils as her anger stoked her fires. Just as she was about to continue speaking, she heard a screaming cry of anguished denial, "NOOOOooooooooo!!!! Whipping her head around, Xanixi flung out her senses to determine the cause and sighed in relief."Boy! She is not dead, Storm has only fainted from the strain." 

Ranma stopped in mid cry as he heard Xanixi's voice before hurriedly reaching out a hand and gently brushed her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her now human ear. "You must have used up all of that magic that changed you, " he whispered as he felt for her pulse. He sighed as he noticed the gentle throbbing beat of her heart and relaxed slightly, whispering, "You came for me. I don't know how....but you followed my spirit and brought me back. I know that I was dead, but I don't know how you did it. Oh, Akane. You don't know how much I wish I could tell you the truth." He reached out a hand and stroked her cheek in a loving gesture before turning his attention back towards the dragon and the Amazons.. 

Xanixi spoke in a menacing voice filled with anger, "You will leave my daughter alone and leave the boy. He is not your property to do with as you wish! He is a human male who has a right to choose his own mate! You Amazons don't seem to understand this! Now, I will try to forget that you ever entered the valley.....but if you refuse....I will kill you all!.......is that clear?" 

Bowing low, Ku-Lon replied, "Yes ancient one." Quickly, Ku-Lon turned around and called for her fellow warriors, "Everyone! We have lost this battle and must leave!" The elder saw many of the warriors questioning faces and a few even went so far as to try to speak, but she quickly interrupted them. "NOW!" All of the Amazons nodded their head and quickly left the clearing. 

Ranma listened intently for a few minutes and could faintly hear Shan-Pu's protests. When he turned is attention back to Akane's face, his eyes met those of his fiancée. So filled with joy was he that he unthinkingly blurted out his feelings, "Akane! You're all right! You don't know how scared I was at the thought of loosing you when you collapsed. I thought you had died! Don't ever do that again cause I love you so much that it hurts!"

With every word uttered from his lips, Akane's eyes got wider and wider until they were the size of beachballs. Finally, unable to hold back anymore, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and cried, "Oh Ranma! You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that to me. You see Ranma......I also love you." 

Ranma's smile seemed brighter than the sun before he embraced her in his warm and loving embrace. He lowered his mouth until it was even with her ear and whispered, "Come on, Tomboy. It's time to go home."

The sound of a throat clearing broke the two love birds from their daze. Turning their attention towards the source of the noise, they spotted Xanixi. The dragon smiled toothily at them and made a split second decision, "Well, if you've decided to return to Japan, then you'll need a ride! Hop on and I'll take you."

Both, Ranma and Akane blinked and replied, "You mean, you don't mind?"

"Nope. Now, hurry up and lets go," Xanixi replied in a tone laced with humor. Quickly, the two hopped on her back and just in time as the red dragon launched herself into the sky. Within a few moments, the only thing left to see was a small blur heading east, towards the Tendo home.

The End.


End file.
